Growing Up Fast
by QuasiOuster
Summary: We all have to grow up sometime. Hopefully, there's someone around to help us along. Dom/Letty character piece that takes place over several years. *COMPLETE* Last 2 chapters are up!
1. Transitions part 1

_**AN: **Thanks to all of you kind folks who gave me feedback on my last story. It was really helpful and I appreciate you all taking the time out to encourage me. Big hugs and kisses to all of you._

_This story is a bit longer and I'll be posting it in several parts. It takes place, before, during and after the movie. Still Dom/Letty, still all character stuff-I'm no good with the action. I have 2 and a half more scenes before I'm done but unfortunately they're in the middle of the story so I'll post as soon as I get it all polished and proofread. In the meantime, sorry for any formatting problems and typos--editing this thing has been particularly challenging. Rated T to start for some language stuff although it might get a little racier later on. Enjoy!_

_Y_

**Growing Up Fast**

He had gambled big and he had lost big. He still had a shitload of loot but what the hell did that get him really? He didn't have his businesses handed down to him from his late and very beloved father. Down here in Central America, he could no longer take solace in the familiar racing scene that he had dominated for so long. No more center of attention at the house parties, the envy of all the guys and the dream fuck of all the girls. He wasn't the big man on the block anymore.

But he hadn't completely lost it all.

Over the most materialistic of objectives, he had risked everything that was important to him. Poor Mia. She was being taken from everything she had ever known. She was consumed by heartbreak over Brian's betrayal of her, and her betrayal of the team. Leon, taking on responsibilities he never could have expected, and never wanted. But when their situation was fucked and no one else was going to save them, he stepped up and took care of them all. Vince was a lot more quiet now that he had seen his life and his freedom flash in front of his eyes, threatening to slip away from him. He's healing too from his wounds and from the fact that it was a narc and not his best friend, the person he was most loyal to, that had saved him. And then there was Jesse. Dead from his many gunshot wounds at the hand of the Trans and his own poor judgment. He had failed Jesse. There was no getting over that. Period.

Finally, there's Letty. His Letty, so loyal and strong for him even with a broken arm, three broken ribs and a punctured lung. But that wasn't quite true. They were strong for each other like always. And just like always, she was there to try to clean up his mess without him even having to ask. They were fugitives now. There was no going back. But at least they were together and together they were at their best. Even from the beginning...

* * *

_**9 Years Ago**_

It was undeniably summertime. The barbecue pit was getting a good workout and the days were hot as hell but in that good L.A. kind of way. Dom stepped out onto his back porch and took in all the people spread out across the lawn. There were a ton more inside and it hadn't even gotten dark yet. His parties always tended to draw everybody and their mom which was a pain to clean up but cool while it lasted. His dad was away on a trip for one of his races. Dom had wanted to go with him but his dad needed him to keep an eye on the garage. Normally, his aunt would be underfoot being a royal pain in his ass, but she was up in San Francisco visiting with friends. So that meant he and Mia had the house to themselves and the party was on.

He looked down the walkway and saw Mia chatting with some girl and her stupid boyfriend. Actually, Chris wasn't that bad but he had to give any guy that was with his little sister a hard time. They had been dating for about a 3 months and his 16 year old sister was in the most annoying state of puppy love imaginable.

Dom heard a loud noise coming from the den and when he turned around to see what was up, he caught a glimpse of Vince and Jesse bickering about something--probably about how crappy Vince's engine was these days. While V was as into cars as the rest of the team, he sure hated getting his hands dirty when it came to the maintenance. He and Jesse were always getting into it and it was usually a pretty funny thing to watch. No one would normally guess that a guy Jesse's size would be picking a fight with a power house like V. Jesse was so mild mannered that he usually went along with things but sometimes, he would go off on Vince with a vengeance to everyone else's entertainment.

Leon was over in the corner trying to charm some girl as always, he would look over at the two fighting to see if there needed to be an intervention. If there wasn't any blood on the carpet, he figured everything was ok. Leon was a real smooth one but definitely someone Dom had come to count on. He was solid and it was nice having him on the team even if he did drink too much and bring too many ho's through the house.

From where he was standing, he could also see Letty manning the pit and he found himself wondering how she was doing. She always did like to be helpful whether it was in the garage or at a Toretto party. It had been a while since she had anything remotely close to a family so it was her way of giving back to the people who had looked out for her over the last few years. She would never admit it but in her own way she was trying to give back to the family.

Mia's new relationship had been a hard transition for her and come to think of it, he hadn't seen her around the house as much as before. He saw her at the garage, of course, since she worked there but he supposed there wasn't a whole lot of room for the best friend when you're "in love." He scrunched his forehead up thinking about that. Letty's father was a nice enough guy but he was also one hell of a raging alcoholic. He usually left Letty alone but every now and then he would get out of hand and Letty would get caught in the crossfire. The Torettos were a refuge for her at those times. She was staying the weekend while their dad was out of town so that was a good sign.

He walked towards Letty and the grill thinking that he'd check and see if she needed him to take over. It was only fitting since he was kind of like a big brother to her anyway. She was standing there paying close attention to the food and fidgeting with her dog tags, as usual. He grinned thinking about how he had caught a glimpse of her in her nightclothes the previous evening. She had come down for a glass of water and he had just gotten in from kickin' it with some girl. She was at the counter downing her water when Dom walked into the kitchen. She hadn't heard him come in so he just stood at the doorway taking in her silhouetted figure.

She had on a pair of boxers with the waistband rolled up until it appeared as if she was only wearing the tiniest of shorts. She also had on a tiny tank top that barely covered her--with no bra on, of course. Her body was starting to fill out in all the right places--every single one. His eyes roamed over her pert breasts and firm ass stopping only to marvel at her trim waist and flat stomach. She was usually so covered up at the garage that he had no idea all this was going on underneath. His first thought was how he could not have known that she was blossoming right in front of his eyes and turning into one fine-ass woman.

But then he came back to his senses and realized that it was Letty he was thinking about. She was a 16 year old who had been part of his family for he couldn't even remember how many years. He shook himself out of these lusty thoughts and figured he'd better leave her to her grilling after all. With the direction his thoughts were going, he couldn't be trusted not to feel her up right then and there. Instead, he headed back into the house sparing her one last subconsciously longing glance.

Dom ran up to his room and grabbed some extra CD's for the party. He looked out the window and had to smile at how sweet things were. He had good friends, he was the most popular guy around and he had a good future working with his dad at the races. He watched as Vince and Jesse headed out to the backyard apparently having resolved whatever beef it was they were debating 10 seconds ago. Mia was coaxing her boyfriend into bringing stuff out for everyone to eat on and ever the dorky boyfriend, he complied without complaint. Completely whipped--it was so sad really.

Leon had abandoned his ho of the moment to give Letty a hand with the grill. Then he saw her turn around and yell something at Vince since the two of them were always messing with each other. They acted more like brother and sister than even him and Mia. He let his gaze linger on Letty a little longer imagining again what kind of woman she was turning into underneath all that attitude and tomboyish charm. For the second time, he tried to shake those thoughts from his mind and concentrate on the big picture. Letty was just a little girl and he had made a promise to leave her out of his string of victims.

His little team. His dad would get a kick out of that. He'd be sure to tell him about it when he got back. Until then, there was some grub to devour and some fun to be had. And who better to get the party started than the King of the Streets himself.

* * *

When Dom came back downstairs, he poked his head into the kitchen and saw Letty leaning over the counter getting ready to bring some more chicken and hot dogs out to the grill. Mia was leaning back against the counter next to Letty and munching on a carrot stick while chatting away. She was on some kind of stupid health kick lately and insisted on there being fresh veggies at the barbecue. They had argued about it at the grocery store but Mia had won out, as usual. Women! From what he could tell, she was trying to give Letty a hand with the food but Letty was having none of it. 

"Letty you're already doing too much as it is. Let me at least give you a hand with the grill." That was his sister--always trying to look out for somebody.

Letty continued to shake her head vigorously as she organized the chicken on the plate. "Mia, you did everything else since you know that knucklehead brother of yours isn't going to lift a finger to help, even though it's his party and his friends eating up the food and messing up the house." They both laughed at the truth of that and even Dom grinned knowing that it was completely true.

Mia grabbed another carrot stick and crossed her arms in front of her. "Well the guys don't know it yet but their asses are on clean up duty. Dad's going to be home early tomorrow so I'm making myself pretty scarce tonight."

"Making yourself scarce with Chris?" Letty teased. "You better make sure Dom don't catch you. You know how nosey and overprotective he is."

"You're not going to tell him are you?" Mia panicked standing up straight and on alert.

Letty scowled at her. "Of course not!" Her scowl then turned to a sly grin. "Just make sure you don't get caught how I found you last week. What was THAT all about anyway?"

Mia turned about 5 shades of red and started backing out of the kitchen. "So you said you were okay with all this because I'm gonna head back out," she said pointing towards the backyard.

Letty just laughed as Mia made her getaway. "Real smooth Mi'" she yelled out the closing door.

Dom made a mental note to keep an eye on Mia and that little punk Chris.

However, his attention was focused back on Letty as he saw her smile fade and a look of intense sadness settle in as she cleaned up after herself. For some reason, it hurt him to see her looking that way. He was quick to attribute his reaction to "brotherly" affection, but he couldn't deny that he wanted to be the one to make all the pain he saw in her eyes go away. He decided that maybe it was time for him to make his appearance.

"Hey Letty, let me give you a hand," he said grabbing the plate of chicken before she could protest.

"I got it Dom," she replied clearly annoyed and grabbing at the plate of food. But if there was one thing Dom was good at, it was annoying her. At least she wasn't looking sad anymore.

"Hey," he shouted holding the plate away from her. "Settle down. Just come on out to the pit and stop your bitching." Letty glared at him, shooting daggers straight at his head but he just gave her a flirty little grin and headed for the grill. He heard her following him probably all shy and embarrassed given her little crush on him. It was cute.

He helped her baste the chicken for a while and then got distracted by one thing or another. Before he knew it, it was 9:00 and the remains of a successful barbecue were all around. Full and slightly drunk people were hanging out all over the place. There were all varieties of empty plates where the spread of food had been a while ago. Corn, salad, coleslaw, grilled everything from veggies and tofu dogs to chicken and burgers were all history. At least that would help him and the guys with cleanup.

In the middle of a heated conversation with a couple of guys about some modifications to his dad's car, Dom noticed that as promised, Mia was nowhere to be found. Shit, he was slipping. He got up to go look for her hoping that she hadn't succeeded in giving him the slip. He walked through the front of the house and made his way through the people lounging around or making an attempt to dance to the music that was playing. No Mia or her bonehead boyfriend though.

When he got to the kitchen, he saw Letty sitting on the now clean counter biting into a piece of chicken. She appeared to be deep in thought but she had that sad look on her face again. She hadn't noticed him come in and he crept up to her quietly so as not to startle her.

"Hey Lett," he called softly.

Letty jumped at the sound of his voice and her face again turned quickly into a scowl. Uh oh, she was pissed.

"What the hell are you doing sneaking up on people? God Dom, you're such an asshole."

"Hey, watch your mouth little girl." He had meant for it to be a joke since he was always laughing about what a dirty mouth she had. Apparently she was in no mood for fooling around.

"Fuck you. I'm not a little girl," she replied returning to her food.

"Where's Mia?" he asked. Her response was simply to shrug and take another bite of her chicken. He looked her up and down and crossed his arms. "Why are you eating again? Aren't you afraid of getting fat like Mia?" She shrugged again and shoveled a huge forkful of potato salad into her mouth. He actually knew better. Letty didn't care anything about all the girly stuff Mia was into. She ate what she wanted and wasn't particularly courteous about it. And he knew firsthand that her body was bangin' anyway. But he again scolded himself for thinking about her like that. It wasn't right.

He brushed off his errant thoughts and turned his attention back to Letty and the quickly disappearing contents of her plate. When she made no further effort to communicate he matched her scowl with one of his own. "What the fuck's your problem tonight?"

"You're in my face, that's my problem. Can't a girl eat in peace?" She swallowed down some more potato salad and continued to ignore him.

"What, is it your time of the month or something?" She glared at him with more venom, if that was even possible.

She dropped her fork and smiled sweetly at him in a way that warned him something particularly nasty was about to come out of her mouth. "Dom, why don't you go find some ho to fuck and leave me the hell alone. You're pretty good at that I hear," she snarled sarcastically.

Now he was pissed. She needed to watch who she talked to like that. He walked toward her meaning to give her a piece of his mind but the wind coming through the window momentarily distracted him. His attention was drawn to the calendar hanging by the door, its pages fluttering with the breeze.

August 2nd. Shit.

All the anger he had felt a minute ago fizzled and he just stood there and looked at Letty, sighing. Regret and guilt were etched across his features. Now he understood the sadness in her eyes and her eagerness to help out with everything today. He should have seen it before. She was trying to keep busy. He should have realized. How could he have forgotten?

He figured she wouldn't let him touch her so he settled on hopping onto the counter and sitting beside her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before he spoke. "How are you doing, girl?" Letty shrugged again staring at the now empty plate and looking for something else to distract her. She looked away from him not daring to meet his concerned eyes. The breeze coming through the window blew her hair around slightly and Dom had to resist the strong temptation to reach out for her and tuck a few strands behind her ear.

"You can stop looking at me like that. I'm not gonna flip out or anything," she said softly, playing with her fork.

He ignored her and leaned forward, trying to pull her gaze to his. "Where's your dad Letty?" She shrugged for what seemed like the millionth time. He was getting tired of the shrugging. He wasn't going to let her shut down on him.

"Letty, you don't have to be so strong all the time. It's okay to rely on people sometimes." She snorted in response and kept her eyes averted.

"Is that right? You don't know what you're talking about Dom," she said in a weary voice. She paused and placed her plate in the sink beside her. "You didn't even remember."

"Maybe," he replied neutrally. "But I'm here right now. I'm thinking about it right now." His eyes had never left her face and he could tell that she was fighting a losing battle with her emotions. "Where's your dad Letty?" Dom asked again.

"Look, I don't know, alright!" Letty shouted and jumped off the counter. She headed for the back door without sparing him a glance. "Mia said you guys are on clean up. I know where YOUR dad is and he's gonna be home early tomorrow."

Dom tried to grab her arm to prevent her from leaving but she pulled away violently. "Don't do this Letty. Don't push me away. Not today."

"Whatever," Letty spat quietly choking back a sob. She took off out the back door running straight into Vince who had been headed back into the house.

"What the fuck Letty!" Vince shouted. For an instant, Letty looked up at Vince and Dom could see the tears forming in her eyes. It broke his heart to see it. But in a flash, it was gone and he watched helplessly as she ran out of the house and through the yard. He thought about going after her but Letty knew how to disappear when she wanted to. She had a lot of practice at it.

She had been right though. He should have remembered.

Vince having no idea at all what was going on except that Letty was pretty pissed at Dom, stared at him in confusion. "What's her problem?" he asked pointing in the direction Letty had run.

Dom stared into the darkness where she had disappeared for a little longer and then turned his attention back to Vince. "It's August 2nd," he replied quietly.

"So," Vince said still having no clue what he had walked into. "Whatever dog." He figured it didn't have anything to do with him so he hit Dom in the arm and dismissed the subject altogether. "It's Letty so I'm sure whatever you did, she'll be pissed for a few hours and then everything will be back to the normal shit." He grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed for the living room.

Dom simply turned around and walked towards the stairs to his room, shaking his head. He wondered what he was going to go. How was he going to make this up to Letty?


	2. Transitions part 2

**_AN: Sorry for the lengthy wait. My poor beta has become unavailable so I had to edit all by my lonesome (which as you can tell, is a bit of a long process for me). Thanks again to all of you who have taken a little time out to review and to everyone who is reading and enjoying. I'll try to keep things rolling for you guys. _**

**_ I still don't own anyone from TFATF but I do hold dearly to my own oringinal characters. Enjoy!_**

**_-Yvonne- _**

**Growing Up Fast--Chapter 2****  
**

Dom lay in bed for a long time that night thinking about everything that had happened in the past few hours. He went over every detail and thought up dozens of ways he could have handled things differently. He could have gone after her and forced her to talk to him. He could have followed her to make sure she was okay. But no, he just crept back to his room and sulked like a punk and now she could be anywhere, alone and thinking that no one cared—that he didn't care. It wasn't right.

After Letty ran off, Dom had gone to his room for a while just to wrap his head around this situation with her and try to figure things out. He settled on spinning his wheels about it for a while, but he eventually went back downstairs to start cleaning up, hoping that something would come to him. He barely spoke to anybody else in the house while he picked up empty bottles and threw away the trash spread all over the house and backyard. A couple of girls had tried to make nice with him pushing their tits in his face and claiming that they could help take his mind off of whatever was bringing him down but he brushed them off. He didn't feel like dealing with their bullshit right then. He didn't need to take his mind off of Letty. If anything, he needed to focus more to figure out how he was going to fix things with her.

Mia had come back after a few hours looking suspiciously satisfied but even that wasn't enough to get a reaction out of him surprisingly. He knew Mia thought he was acting strange but apparently, she let it go because it was clear he was in a mood. Little did she know that Dom had stopped caring about her disappearing act ages ago--she was a good girl and that Chris kid was a dork but he knew better than to try anything with his sister. Dom considered asking her about Letty but she looked so relaxed and happy that he didn't want to upset her--not unless things got more complicated.

But after a few hours of turning everything over in his head about 20 times in 50 different ways, he realized that this situation had gone way past complicated. No matter how much he tortured himself, he was still left lying in his bed in the middle of the night thinking about what this day meant and where Letty could have possibly gone to deal with things.

When he thought about August 2nd, so many vivid memories came to mind: the smell of Letty's father when they found him and cleaned him up; the sounds of so many cars that had shown up just to be there; the look of shock and disbelief on Letty's face and the cold moisture of her tears as they soaked through his thin shirt.

And he remembered black--so much black everywhere.

Worst of all was a heartbroken Letty's red-rimmed eyes that could have only come from hours of crying. He saw those eyes on Letty for too many days afterwards and every glance sent a pain straight to his heart. This was the most fearless girl he had ever met—she was never meant to look like that. He had been the one to answer the door at 6:00 in the morning when she came to deliver the news and he would never forget that grief-stricken image of horror on her face, not even if he lived to be a hundred years old.

And nothing could have prepared him for what she said to him: CJ was dead. Killed in some military bombing overseas where he had been deployed. As far as Letty was concerned, his death of her brother meant the end of everything for her.

* * *

Charles Torres Jr., or CJ as everyone called him, was four years older than Letty and two years older than Dom. He had been the first to get to know the Toretto family, befriending Dom and his father and eventually working with them at the garage. Not only was he a gifted mechanic but he was one of the coolest guys on the block. He was considered good looking, smart, charismatic—the perfect guy really. Everyone loved him. Dudes wanted to hang with him and the girls wanted to be with him. CJ was Dom's boy—had his back without him ever having to ask. Dom had looked up to CJ and CJ never disappointed. 

But it was undeniable that the most special place in CJ's heart was reserved for his little sister Letty. He adored her and she worshipped him. Mia always joked that he was the biggest reason for Letty being such a tomboy. When they first met Letty she was all knees and elbows and as tough as any kid twice her age. Something must have been in their genes too since she was just as gifted with cars as CJ. In fact, once CJ had been walking Dom through a particularly tricky engine repair when Dom threw up his hands in frustration unable to find the problem. CJ had teased him about it saying that even a child could figure it out. Then to prove his point, he called his little sister over to take a look. After scrunching her face up in concentration, she quickly told him the problem and grabbed a tool from CJ's pocket and fixed it. Dom's father had chuckled from his spot under the hood of the car next to them and Dom threw his oil-soaked rag down and stormed off mumbling about how CJ probably set him up. But clearly he was embarrassed at having been shown up by a little girl.

CJ had picked up Letty and kissed her on her nose before putting her back down and pulling the bill of her cap playfully. Before Dom slammed the door shut behind him, he heard CJ tell her, "'Ata girl Letty. You always do me proud."

CJ took Letty everywhere they went. If you wanted to be friends with CJ or if you were a girl trying to get into his pants, it was something you just had to get used to. And he didn't tolerate anyone treating her badly. God forbid you made Letty cry because CJ would drop you so fast you'd think he never knew you. To her credit, if Letty had been another kind of person, she could have completely abused and manipulated her brother's affection but, for the most part, she was a good girl. She knew how to give her brother space and stay out of the way. Surely, she annoyed Dom at times but she kept to herself or happily played with Mia, keeping his little sister out of his hair as well.

And, of course, she grew on him eventually. He would never actually tell her that but it was pretty obvious that he had almost as much affection for little Letty as CJ did. Or _had_, rather.

After he met CJ and Letty's father, he completely understood CJ's attitude. For a long time, he hadn't really known anything about them other than the basics--they lived with their father, they moved from New Mexico, their mother was not in the picture and she was a subject never, ever discussed. Charles Sr. wasn't a bad man but he had lost control of his life at some point and it didn't look like he was going to get it back anytime soon. He was a terrible alcoholic and when he was particularly checked out, he tended to take it out on his kids. For the most part, he kept to himself but CJ didn't trust him around Letty and kept her close to shield her from their father's more reckless moments. There were times when Dom had noticed bruises on both CJ and Letty that popped up overnight and he knew his father had discussed it with CJ a few times. Dom never personally heard any details about it but he figured that his dad would take care of things.

Over the years, CJ, Vince and Dom became a little crew. Vince was the bad-ass and the rebel. People knew he could fuck you up for looking at him wrong but he was the guy you always wanted at your party to liven it up. He tried to call himself a musician too which was a riot. CJ was always encouraging him to do something with it but Vince being Vince never thought anything would come of it for him. Ironically, it wasn't until _after_ that Vince really tried to get it together with his music. Although he would never admit it, it was his way of paying tribute to his buddy.

Dom was the ladies' man--so smooth and sexy that you couldn't help wanting to get into his pants. He had girls in and out of his life--and bed--constantly. Even though he knew Letty had a kiddie crush on Dom, CJ was constantly joking with Letty about how Dom was definitely the kind of guy she needed to stay away from.

But CJ was the cool one--he had the best sense of humor and the best sense of style. He was considered the nicest guy around but still somebody you didn't want to mess with because he would fuck you up as bad as Vince would. He was the kind of guy everyone wanted to be around and that the girls wanted to take home to their parents. He definitely had an eye for the ladies and them for him, but he at least attempted to have girlfriends and not take the ho-of-the-week approach like the other guys.

After graduation, CJ had decided to go into the military for a little while--nothing career like, just long enough to get a good education and save up some money for himself and for Letty's future. He always had such big plans for her. She was content working in Dom's father's garage but CJ wanted her to go to college and maybe become an engineer so she could design the cars they were always working on. It was a big decision for him because he hated to leave Letty home alone with their father. But in the end, he saw that at fourteen years old, Letty was a smart and resourceful girl. She had learned how to make herself scarce at the right times and she was tough. She hadn't wanted him to go because he was her world but he promised that it would be like he wasn't even gone. Still, he had made Dom and Vince promise to look out for Letty and talked to Dom's father about pulling Letty out of the house at the first sign of trouble.

Everything had been going so well. CJ wrote Letty every week and called all the time. He visited whenever he could and it really was like he hadn't left at all. In fact, when CJ found out he was being shipped overseas, everyone had been excited about it and CJ had even talked about sending for Letty so she could see a little more of the world.

But no one expected the tragedy that took his life.

It was bullshit—they weren't even at war and there had been no warning at all. It was senseless and tragic and it would affect their lives forever.

August 2nd.

Dom didn't care to think about the details, but the days following the news of CJ's death were some of the worst of his life. No goodbyes or last words like there had been with his mother. CJ was just gone and that was that.

He remembered holding Letty for hours the day they found out. A representative from the Army had come personally at around 4:30 am, wanting the family to hear the news before names were released to the media. Letty later told him that before that morning the officers arrived, her father was actually having one of his sobriety streaks and had been doing really well. All of that came to an end with the arrival of the terrible news that his only son was gone and never coming back.

Charles Sr.'s first reaction had been to hit the bottle and when that wasn't working fast enough, he started tearing the house to shreds, throwing everything he could get his hands on. Letty tried to calm him down but she had just lost the center of her universe and she was so scared. Yet again, Charles Sr. had absolutely nothing to give his daughter, now his only living child.

So she had gone to the Toretto's house and she didn't return home for 3 days. Dom's father ran interference as best he could but the next day, Charles Sr. disappeared on a bender and couldn't be found. It fell to Dom's father and a 16 year old Letty to make the arrangements. He would never forget going back to Letty's house to pick a suit for her 20 year-old brother to wear to his funeral. It had felt so wrong that day but he supposed something like that would never seem right to him.

After the funeral, they did what they had to do and kept on going one day at a time, Letty a little slower than everyone else, of course. Her dad was little use to her now and she would never be the same. For the longest time, you couldn't have even gotten her to string more than a couple of sentences together but eventually she learned to smile a little. You could always tell when she was thinking about CJ though—it was inevitable that something was always reminding her of him. But she dealt with it and as much as it killed him, Dom couldn't make this better for her. She had to do it for herself, step by step and day by day.

At some point, the weight of all those memories pulled Dom into a restless, unsatisfying sleep. Through the haze of bad dreams, he heard a noise at his door and slowly roused himself, feeling somewhat relieved to escape the not-so-comforting refuge of slumber. He turned towards the door wondering if some whacked out party-goer had found a way back into the house and up to his room. But before he could react, he saw a small figure emerge from the shadows and the face became clear as the moonlight shined in from the window.

He squinted groggily as the light reached Letty's eyes—her mournful brown eyes swollen and red-rimmed from hours of crying probably. He hated seeing those eyes again especially knowing that he might have prevented it if he hadn't been such a clueless asshole.

She just stood there with her tear-filled eyes looking every bit as devastated as she had a year ago. She was still wearing the same clothes as before but it was clear from their rumpled appearance that she had been out doing something since she had left him the previous evening. Yet she looked so beautiful to him standing there with more vulnerability than he figured she had ever shown another living soul--except maybe CJ. And he wasn't exactly living anymore anyway. All Dom could do was lay there and stare at her thinking for the hundredth time that he wished he had to the day to do over. He wondered where her father was and guessed that he was spending this dark anniversary getting smashed somewhere. It wasn't really different from any other day of the week for him but damn him for what it was doing to Letty.

"Dom," she whispered. He started when Letty spoke, not prepared to hear her voice for focusing on her grim appearance and the current sad state of her life. He pulled his intense gaze to hers and simply waited.

"I..." she uttered. A tear spilled from one of her tired, overflowing eyes, landing softly on her chin before disappearing into the darkness. "Will you..."

She swallowed a sob and Dom moved to pull the covers back so that he could go to her. "I need to see him Dom," she wept. "Please, will you take me to him? I want to be with him right now." Then, having gotten out her request, she completely broke down in front of him.

It was painful to see Letty so broken-hearted as she sobbed uncontrollably in the shadows of his doorway. At that moment, she really was just a little girl wanting so badly to have her brother—the only stable thing she had ever had—back in her life and he wished so badly that he could give it to her.

"Letty…" Not thinking, he muttered the first thing that his distraught, sleep-deprived mind could think of. "It's early, girl."

Her eyes focused in on him as she tried to get her emotions under control. She looked embarrassed and disappointed and even a little shocked but like the Letty he knew and loved, she did her best to hide all of that. In her distress, she failed miserably.

She wiped at her eyes and stiffened with anxiety. "Nevermind Dom. I'll find my own way there. I'll figure something out." She whirled around and headed for the door still sniffling and rubbing frantically at her eyes. God only knows what she had in mind but in her state, it wasn't good for her to be alone and roaming around the city no matter how tough she thought she was.

This time, Dom was too quick for her, grabbing her arm and turning her around. She looked up at him with such misery and Dom had to close his eyes to block out the terrible image. He shook his head and squared his shoulders still holding onto Letty who was making no attempt to fight him. When he opened his eyes again, he just stared at her, taking her in and trying to transfer some of his strength to her. He unconsciously reached his free hand up to cup her cheek and wipe away the stray tears that were streaming down her face.

"Don't go, Letty. Let me just put some clothes on okay?" Normally, he'd be a little self-conscious standing in front of her clad only in a pair of boxers but he knew that the only thing on her mind right now was CJ and the fastest way to get to him. She closed her eyes and let out the breath she had apparently been holding.

Dom let go of her arm and cupped her other cheek in his hand, cradling her face. Her gaze was now averted as she continued to weep openly. But he needed to see her eyes. He needed her to know that he understood and wanted to be there for her even though CJ couldn't.

When she didn't respond right away to his touch, he softly stroked her cheeks to get her attention. In an instant, her brown eyes shifted and bore right into him, creating an unexpected affect on him like nothing else he had ever experienced. It started in the pit of his stomach and seemed to spread through his body. He felt a warmth consume him despite his lack of clothes and the breeze coming through his window. He could tell she felt it too. He tried to remind himself that this was Letty, his friend and almost his other little sister. She was in pain and it was up to him to make that pain go away for her. But then he kept coming back to the urges he felt when she was in his grasp, the hope and the potential of what could be. Her skin felt so soft against his fingertips yet he could feel the pleasant weight of her body so close to his. He knew what he had to do as he leaned into her.

"Wait for me downstairs okay," he whispered into her ear in a gentle murmur that couldn't hide the restraint he was struggling with. "I'll be right there." He stroked her cheek again and stared into her eyes for a few extra seconds. Finally, he pulled back and let her go as he backed away. Letty's tears had slowed down for the moment but she didn't break her gaze with Dom. He returned the look and neither made a move to leave both lost in their own thoughts and sensations of what had just taken place.

After a long moment of silence, she finally nodded silently and left his room. Dom heard her footsteps on the stairs and took a deep breath as he sat back down on his bed. He nervously rubbed his hand over his head. This wasn't good. Tonight was a reminder of one of the worst days in his life and right now his mind was completely filled with Letty—how she felt against his touch, her warmth and the incredibly intoxicating vulnerability and trust that she showed him. He needed to get it together and quickly because there was absolutely no way he could go where his mind and body wanted him to go.

He quickly dressed and tip-toed downstairs so as not to wake Mia. When he got to the kitchen, he saw Letty sitting at the table staring off in space.

Dom walked up behind her and put his hand on the top of her head, softly sliding his fingers against her hair. He just couldn't resist touching her. But she remained still and stared blankly in front of her looking spent and exhausted. He noticed that her tears had stopped but the numbness that he saw settling in was no better.

Dom nervously twirled his car keys on his finger as he let go of her and headed for the door. He looked back at Letty expectantly, both grim and resigned to the difficult task ahead of them. "You ready, Lett?"

She closed her eyes for a few moments and then nodded before standing up and silently joining him by the door. With one last quick glance at each other, they left for the cemetery, neither having any idea what awaited them when they got there.

_ TBC..._


	3. Transitions part 3

_**AN: Sorry it's been so long—still having beta problems. I apologize for the typos. I'll clean it up when I have the chance. Anyway, this chapter is still more intense Dom/Letty stuff so if their angst isn't your thing then don't torture yourself. But if their angst is your thing then please proceed…**_

_**Thanks again and again and again for all you folks reviewing and those lurkers out there reading. I hope you're liking the ride. **_

_**I still don't own anybody from TFATF although CJ is mine. **_

_**-Y-**_

**Growing Up Fast**

Chapter 4

The ride to the cemetery was completely silent. Dom found himself frequently glancing over at Letty but she wore the same blank stare as before. He was starting to get really worried. He knew that this was going to be a hard time for her but he had no idea that she would shut down like this. God knows where her father was and he wasn't sure if he could handle it without his dad for backup. But he owed it to CJ to try, so he was going to do his best.

They finally made it to the section of the cemetery that they both knew so well. Dom had only been here once and as far as he was concerned, once had been enough. It was a beautiful spot really; lots of green and away from the street so that at 5:00 in the morning, it was as quiet as one figured a cemetery should be. When Dom stopped the car, he expected Letty to immediately run out to CJ's grave but she hung back. He could see the fear in her eyes mixed in with the sadness and that awful longing that he himself felt every time he remembered that his best buddy CJ was never coming home.

"Do you want me to come with you or..."

She shook her head no and reached out for the door handle, although she continued to hesitate. After about five minutes he saw her close her eyes and when she reopened them another set of fresh tears seeped out and down her cheek. She blew out a deep breath and opened the car door.

Dom watched through the passenger side window as she slowly made her way to CJ's final resting place. Her pace was slow but steady and through the thickness of the early morning mist, he could make out her determined stance as she finally stood in front of CJ's headstone. He still felt the urge to go with her, to hold her hand while she remembered and grieved but he knew this was something she wanted to do on her own.

He watched as she stood there looking at the headstone as if it were the body of her dead brother himself. He remembered the funeral and the look of horror on Letty's face at seeing her brother so cold and lifeless in his casket. He was wearing his uniform, of course, and if you were standing far enough away, it looked like he was simply lying down for nap. His uniform was crisp and neat--the military people made sure of that. Everything was in its place--except for CJ's dog tags.

The only lucky thing in that whole sad ordeal was that by some stroke of fortune, one of their neighbors had directed the officers who came to return CJ's personal items, to the Toretto house when they received no answer at Letty's. She had gone through everything so carefully with Mia, Dom and his dad giving her all the space she needed. When Letty had received the plain, medium-sized box, she took every article out and inspected it, some of it making her smile sadly while others brought so many tears that they thought they were going to have to intervene. When she was done, she placed everything carefully back in its place--all except for the dog tags which she slid around her neck and hasn't taken off since. No one protested. They all just nodded in understanding.

But he recalled so vividly seeing her bend over to give CJ one last kiss on the cheek in his casket. he recalled every detail of those dog tags brushing gently against CJ's body and shining in the light. Why CJ? He used to be so full of life and important to so many people yet there he lay. Gone forever.

Dom got out of the car, closing the door and leaning against the roof as he continued to watch Letty. At some point she had lowered herself to the ground kneeling on the damp grass that covered CJ's grave. He could see her talking softly to him, wiping endless tears away and stroking the ground lovingly with her open palm. She had loved him so much--and he had adored her too. But the Letty that had CJ in her life was never coming back and Dom had to find a way to make her happy again. She was too precious and he couldn't let her slip away if he could help it. It was the least he could do for CJ--taking care of the one thing he cared about most in all of his too short life.

A small noise brought his attention back to Letty as she continued to talk to her brother. He saw that her crying had increased, her shoulders wracked with heavy sobs over the private conversation with her dead brother. Suddenly, he saw her break down as she leaned over and clutched the ground. He didn't know if she was trying to get as close as she could to him or if her grief had exhausted her to that point. His instincts had him going to her before he even really realized it.

He jogged over to where she lay, his stomach clenching with every heart-wrenching cry she let out. He could barely make out the words for all of her weeping and sobbing. Maybe he didn't want to hear her but after a few moments, these words became clear.

Over and over again she said it: she had nothinhg--nothing without CJ.

He tried grabbing her and pulling her away from the ground but she wouldn't budge thinking that Dom was going to take her away from her lifeline and the only physical connection she still had with her brother.

"Let me go!" She pulled away and screamed at him to let her be with CJ but Dom was having none of it. He roughly pulled her into his arms still sobbing uncontrollably and muttering unintelligibly about CJ and having nothing without him. Yet again, her tears were soaking through his thin t-shirt as he tried to comfort her.

"I'm not letting you go baby. Don't leave me okay? I'm here for you. I'm always here for you." He didn't know if she understood him or if she was even listening but he was going to say whatever he had to to get through to her. Her grief completely consumed her. She was holding onto him so tight as if he wasn't real; as if she would be as lifeless as CJ if she let go of him. But Dom held her just as tightly showing her that he wasn't going anywhere.

After a few minutes her wails subsided slightly and she simply cried for everything she had lost a year ago today. Her family, her world, the one person that she could count on to love her and take care of her. But she hadn't lost that, she had to know. CJ wasn't the only one who cherished her and as long as he was around, he was going to make sure she never doubted that.

Although her sobs didn't let up, he could feel her shivering in the cool morning air. At this hour, the day was damp with morning mist and neither of them was dressed appropriately for it. Dom picked up Letty and made to leave but she gripped his shoulder and wailed even louder.

"No, don't take him from me! I'm not ready, just a little bit longer." Dom could feel her scrambling to get out of his arms so that she could return to CJ's grave.

But Dom held on tight. He hated to do it but Letty was weak and irrational, not that he blamed her. He needed to get her out of there. This wasn't good for her.

"Letty, baby, he's already gone. Please, let's go so I can take care of you." Letty wasn't trying to hear it, shaking her head vehemently and finally succeeding in getting out of his grasp. But instead of running back to CJ, she simply stood there letting the damp mist fall on her shoulders.

After a few moments, Dom joined her in looking at CJ's final resting place from afar. He gently held her from behind and rested his chin on top of her head.

"Letty, I would never take CJ from you but we can't stay here. Please, Letty, come with me." He felt the rise and fall of her shoulders as she continued to cry for everything that would never be because her brother wasn't there to share it with her. Dom could tell that she understood him so he didn't rush her. He just held her in his arms and rocked her while she found yet another way to say goodbye.

Finally, she stepped out of his arms and walked slowly to CJ's headstone. "I love you. I'll never forget..." the rest of her heartfelt confession was lost to him in her weeping. But she stood tall and kissed her dogtags before placing a final caress on his headstone and walking back to where Dom stood watching.

Dom opened his arms for her and she fell right into his embrace again crying softly and holding onto him so tightly.

_"I'll take care of her CJ, I promise_," he thought to himself.

Dom hushed Letty and spoke soft words of comfort in an attempt to stop her never-ending flow of tears. But she was exhausted emotionally and physically so Dom scooped her up and carried her back to his car. He placed her in the front seat and buckled her in before getting in himself. As he drove off, he thought that he would always be there for Letty but after all that he had experienced here, he never wanted to come back to this cemetery ever again.

After driving for a little while, Dom found himself taking a familiar path in the opposite direction from his house. He didn't think Letty was ready to go home, certainly not her own house and he knew she wouldn't want to explain thing to Mia just yet. Mia was going to feel so bad for not being around for Letty today. Besides, he knew the perfect place to take her. It was where he went to deal with a lot of the things he didn't want to share with the world.

He kept hold of her hand as much as he could while driving to his spot and neither said a word to each other during the ride. It wasn't the time for conversation just yet but the physical contact seemed to be enough. He pulled into the parking lot of the little beach area and cut the engine. The continuing silence loomed over them as they sat in the fading moonlight thinking their own thoughts.

"What is this place Dom?" Letty said. She sounded exhausted, like she barely had the energy to even ask that simple question. Her demeanor of numbness still hadn't changed but her grasp of his hand was strong and sure. He discovered this spot right after his mother died and it had become a safe haven for him ever since. He could sit and think or grieve or just get away from the pressure of his daily life on the streets. He had never brought anyone else here but it seemed like the right thing to do for Letty, especially tonight.

Dom didn't answer her but instead unhooked her seat belt, gently grabbed her arm and motioned for her to take a seat on his lap. She complied immediately putting her arm around his shoulders. She leaned into his chest resting her head right below his chin. She was still awake and alert but she had curled herself into a little ball on his lap breathing evenly and looking blankly ahead. Dom sat quietly and watched her, stroking her back and her hair as she lay against him.

"It's going to be okay, Letty, I promise. You've got a lot of people who care about you and who don't want to see you hurting. Mia loves you to pieces you know. She can't do anything without you. And Pops, he loves you like a second daughter. He wouldn't want to see you tearing yourself up like this." He watched as Letty closed her eyes briefly and nodded slightly in acknowledgment of his words. "And don't forget about the guys. What would Vince and Leon and Jesse do without you kicking their asses everyday? You be as sad as you need to be because you loved CJ so much but just don't check out on us alright?" He moved his fingers to her face and gently stroked her cheek. "Don't leave ME because I need you too much. You're family to me. You know that." A fresh string of tears ran from Letty's eyes but this time, Dom's fingers were there to catch them and wipe them away.

"Sometimes, I forget he's gone." Her voice was hoarse and husky but no less lovely to Dom's ears. "I think about things that I want to tell him or something that would make him laugh. And then I remember and it's like I just found out, you know." Dom didn't miss the way her voice broke as she finished off her thought.

Dom sighed deeply and held her tighter. "Yeah, I know," he returned. And he really did understand. He felt the same way about his mother sometimes. He thought she was going to say more but she again fell into that exhausted silence. "I tell you what Letty. Whenever you have one of those moments, you just come and tell me okay. I know I'm not CJ but I want to be there for you. Always." Letty gave him another slight nod and reached up to squeeze the hand that was still stroking her cheek.

They sat like that for long moments relishing each other's touch and presence. He had gotten so much closer to Letty in the last year. He didn't know if it was because of CJ and they were helping each other deal with his death or if it was just because they were getting older, but there was a deeper connection between them somehow. Until recently, Dom thought it was a completely platonic, familial connection but as he sat there comforting her, he didn't know what to think about it. It was so confusing but damn if it was also a bit exciting too. Under different circumstances...

"You know Letty, I meant what I said before. You're the strongest person I know but let me be the strong one right now. You can't be little miss tough chick all the time, especially today of all days."

"I know," she whispered. "Thanks Dom."

"Anytime, baby." Although he hadn't meant for it to come out sounding so...intimate, he still felt a delicious chill at the endearment.

Letty turned her head so that she was looking up at Dom. "I mean thanks for everything. For ... everything." For the first time in what seemed like forever, she smiled. It wasn't a big one but to Dom it was the sweetest thing he had seen all day.

Dom once again brought his hand up to her face first touching with his thumb, the edge of her mouth where her smile ended and then tracing her hairline with his index finger. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you earlier. I didn't mean to forget," he choked out. "I loved CJ like a brother you know."

"I know Dom. He loved you too." She reached up and softly rested her hand on his arm. "You gave me what I needed tonight and I'll never forget that. And let's face it, I wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows with you today." Her smile widened slightly and he felt his chuckle vibrate against her while he continued to hold onto her body.

They looked into each other's eyes and the same feeling from before took over--the warmth, the promise and the sense of comfort that neither even knew they were seeking. Letty turned in Dom's arms, straddling him and even though he knew he should have stopped her, Dom's only reaction was to grip her tighter and pull her to him. Now it was her turn to reach up and stroke his face as he held her.

"Letty..." Dom meant for her name to come out scolding but to his ears, it sounded more like an invitation. "Letty, we--" He felt one of her fingers against his lips hushing him before she moved it away to trace his chin and neck. He couldn't deny his urge to take that finger between his lips and taste her but he had to be the strong one no matter how hard she made it for him. And if things kept going the way they were, she would be making it plenty hard.

He ran his hands up her body and realized that he was feeling first hand how much of a woman she had become. He could feel her breasts pressing into him and the delicious curve of her back which no doubt led to the sweetest ass that was at that very moment grinding against his legs as she moved around on his lap. Her knee had risen up to carefully rub against his thigh and he could feel her silky hair brushing against his fingers that were lying at the nape of her neck. Their foreheads rested against each other and it felt as if they were sharing one breath while they looked deeply into each other's eyes. It wouldn't take much to just let go and touch her even more intimately, taste her with his tongue and show her exactly what she could do to a man. He was so close--her lips were only inches away and with his hand still cradling her head, it would be nothing to just pull her mouth to meet his. He knew she was willing by the way she moved against him and looked at him so invitingly, almost pleading for him to touch her and make them both feel good even for a few moments. He felt his breathing getting heavier as was hers and he licked his suddenly dry lips in anticipation of what was to come.

But as quickly as his desire for Letty had been ignited, the image of CJ's grave and a vivid memory came flooding back to him.

----------------

It had been a week before CJ was set to leave for the Army and he and Dom were sitting in the garage having an unauthorized beer while Tony was out running errands. They had been shooting the shit about girls and cars and whatever else crossed their minds, just chillin' really. So Dom hadn't been expecting it when CJ got serious all of a sudden.

"Yo Dom, you're going to look after my sister right?" CJ asked in a sober tone.

Dom rolled his eyes tired of CJ worrying about Letty. Of course they were going to take care of her. She was family. "For the fiftieth time you fucker, yes, yes and yes. Don't worry about Letty, me and my dad, we'll take good care of her. You know I'm not going to let anything happen to that girl."

"I know, I know. I just worry about her. She's my heart, you know that." CJ chuckled a little but Dom and everyone else were aware of how much Letty meant to him.

"Look, she'll be fine, you'll be fine. We'll all be fucking fine. Now shut up and pass me another beer will you?"

CJ grinned and passed Dom another beer hoping that Tony didn't get pissed when he came back to the garage. But still, CJ looked worried as he stared at his friend.

"What!" Dom asked looking over the rim of his beer.

CJ suddenly looked uncomfortable and got up from where they had been lounging. He paced a little and ran his hand through his short hair. Dom wasn't used to CJ looking this awkward talking about something, especially with him. "Look Dom, I'm just gonna spit it out. I know you'll look after Letty. But just don't look after her too good, you hear me?"

Dom almost spit out his beer at that statement. "Are you kidding me? We are still talking about your 14 year old sister right?" After the initial shock wore off, he busted out laughing. "You MUST be kidding because that's the craziest thing I've ever heard." He took another swig of his beer shaking his head at his clearly delusional friend.

"Hey, don't laugh! She may be 14, scrawny and annoying to you now but you just wait Dom," CJ replied still looking pretty serious.

Dom just kept chuckling. "Yeah, yeah, she's drinking milk and all that. Look, if that's what's bothering you, I can tell you right now that you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Man, does the military know what a fucking headcase they're getting?"

CJ didn't look amused or convinced. "All I'm saying is that Letty may seem like a little girl right now, hell she is a little girl although she'd kill me if she heard me say that. But you mark my words--she's going to turn into a real beauty." He sat back down next to Dom and looked off at nothing in particular. He got quiet like he was remembering something meaningful. "She looks just like our mom you know. That's how I know she's going to be gorgeous--because our mom was so beautiful."

Dom didn't know what to say. CJ had only once before willingly talked about his mother and then it was just to say that he didn't want her ever mentioned again. This must be something important if he was bringing it up now.

But just as quickly, CJ snapped out of it. "I'm not trying to get into it, alright. I'm just saying that WHEN Letty starts to blossom a little bit, I don't want you anywhere near her pants. You're my boy and all but you know how she is with you and I don't want you anywhere near her heart like that. She's had enough to deal with in life and I WILL kick your ass if you add to it...no offense, of course," he added quickly.

Not wanting to downplay the trust CJ had shown him in sharing a little bit of information about his mother, Dom decided to play along even though the idea of hooking up with Letty was completely ridiculous to him. "No offense taken, buddy. I'm a dog, I'll admit it. I know all about Letty and her little crush." He turned and looked directly at CJ. "But I would never, ever hurt her CJ. Not for anything. She's my little sister too you know." In that moment, Dom was completely serious. "I wouldn't jeopardize your friendship or Letty's for anything cheap, or anything that would break her heart. That's a promise." He couldn't imagine him ever putting this promise to the test but if it made CJ happy then he'd assure him that Letty was off limits.

CJ was silent as he returned to staring off in space. But then he lightened up. "Well alright then. Now that that's settled, let's get some work done so your dad won't kick both of our asses when he gets back."

----------------------

They never spoke of that conversation again. They never had a chance to really. But dammit, he had been right. Letty was growing into a real beauty and right now, he wanted her more than anything.

As Dom held Letty and fought with his hormones to keep control, he remembered his promise and swiftly pulled away from Letty lest temptation make him forget the last request his friend made of him. He couldn't even risk a kiss because then it would be over. That's how much he wanted her right then. It would start with a kiss and then it wouldn't quit until they had completely explored and consumed each other. He could never just kiss Letty. It wasn't going to happen.

However, Letty wasn't going to make it easy for him to be the noble one. She held on to him and although they weren't as close as before, he was still within the danger zone.

"Dom, please..." Letty moaned in a quiet and completely seductive whisper. It was enough to make Dom hold his breath with need but it wasn't enough to make him break his promise. He released his grasp of her and gently pushed her off of his lap and back into the passenger seat. The funny thing was that even though he wanted her so bad right then, he knew that it wasn't him that she wanted. True she had a crush on him but at 6:00 in the morning on the anniversary of her brother's death, it wasn't sex that she was looking for from him and it certainly wasn't what she needed. She wanted CJ and having him as close to her as she could might fill the horrible emptiness she felt without her brother. And honestly, as her pseudo big brother of so many years, he couldn't say that it wasn't his need to take care of her that was feeding this attraction. Given the thoughts he had recently been having about her, he doubted that was the case but this was all moving too fast.

Dom turned his head away from Letty and took a deep breath. "Bad timing, Letty. Terrible. You don't need this right now." He didn't look back to her, he couldn't. He didn't know if she was devastated or resigned. A not so small part of him hoped that she was as disappointed as he was but he knew that wasn't really fair. "I'll take you back to the house now. You can get some rest and tomorrow we'll do something special." He tried to start the car back up but something held him back. Something physical. It was Letty who had his hand and had a solid grip on it at that.

"I understand." And when he looked into her eyes, which for the first time that night weren't blank or filled with tears, he could tell that she really did.

They drove home again in silence but this one more comfortable than the last. Regret, sorrow and a little bit of lingering desire hovered in the air and when they pulled up to the house, they just sat there contemplating the range of complex emotions they had gone through in one night.

Finally Dom got out of the car and trotted over to the other side to let her out. She didn't protest when he took her by the hand and quietly led her into the house and up the stairs into his bedroom. When he took off her shoes and then guided her into his bed, she stared at him a little quizzically but seemed too exhausted to question him. Dom placed his comforter over her and watched her cuddle into it, seemingly taking in his scent as she burrowed further into his pillows. When she stared up at him sleepily, it was with the recognition that he wouldn't be joining her.

He turned to leave but again, he felt himself thwarted in his escape and pulled back to the bed. Just that quick, Letty had removed her hand from under the covers and had grabbed his, not forcefully but with enough strength to halt his progress.

"Could you stay with me for a little while," she asked shyly. "Please. I promise to behave." She gave him another one of her smirks which made him weak in the knees yet again. Staying with her was a supremely bad idea, he thought. He didn't know what would happen if he was forced to lie next to her and hear her soft breathing and smell the alluring scent of her long brown tresses. There were 500 reasons why he needed to walk out of that room right now and leave Letty to her grief.

But those big, brown eyes were so imploring and inviting and left Dom no choice but to turn around and return to her. Instead of sitting at the side of the bed again, he kicked off his shoes and crawled into bed behind her, pulling her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and smiled as he felt her fingers intertwine with his. He just couldn't help himself.

Although he wanted to deny it, she felt so great in his arms. Letty was halfway sleep already but Dom's consciousness lingered while he continued to hold her and stare into her beautiful face. Even now after what had to have been an emotionally trying day, dirty and exhausted, she looked so calm and innocent in her sleep.

At some point, he must have fallen asleep himself because he awoke to a clicking sound at his door. Letty was still sound asleep in his arms. Dom looked up sleepily towards the door and saw his dad looking in, first annoyed with seeing a girl in his bed and then outraged when he recognized who the girl was.

Before his dad could cause a scene, Dom raised his hand and put his finger to his lips, motioning for him not to wake up Letty. His dad closed his mouth that had been prepared to bellow out a harsh reprimand but still glared at his son for what he saw as seriously reckless and irresponsible behavior. His dad loved Letty like a daughter and was seriously pissed at the prospect of Dom using her like one of his regular groupies.

Dom stared by at his dad and vigorously shook his head trying to convince him that nothing happened. However, his dad wasn't buying it at all. Why would he? He had walked in on his son and his close family friend wrapped around each other in a very intimate embrace looking as comfortable as any romantic couple would.

Dom moved to get out of bed and explain but he felt Letty grab onto his hand and stir a bit in her sleep. He really didn't want to disturb her since she needed the rest after the day she had had. Instead Dom looked back at his dad who was standing at the door with his arms crossed and pointed to his calendar at the entrance of his room. His dad glanced at it and when he turned back to Dom, the younger Toretto mouthed the word "CJ."

Only then did it click for Dom's father and his face instantly softened, now focusing on the sleeping girl in Dom's bed. She still looked pretty worn out but seemed to be doing much better in Dom's arms.

Dom's father sighed and glanced back at Dom nodding. He then turned around and walked back out of the room but not before sparing the two young people one last glance. Letty was still asleep of course but it was the look on Dom's face that alarmed him. He was falling for her. It was so clear. This was not good. He watched as Dom lightly kissed Letty on the top of the head and lay back down to hold her in her sleep. He was going to have to have a talk with him and soon.


	4. Transitions part 4

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and feedback (and the kicks in the butt to edit this thing into shape). The wait for the next chapter shouldn't be so long since I have most of it written already. It needs a few modifications but nothing that should take me months like this last chapter. Excuse any typos/formatting errors as always. I'll try to clean up any problems this weekend.  
**

**Thanks again to all of you for reading. **

**Y**

**Growing Up Fast **

**Transitions: Part 4**

So everything eventually got back to normal after Letty's breakdown. Later that day while Letty was still asleep, Dom crept out of the bed and sought out his father to explain what had happened while he was gone. He wisely left out the whole party part but pretty much detailed everything about Letty's behavior and what they had gone through at the cemetery. Dom could tell that his Dad was still pretty pissed about what he had walked in on and he didn't blame him. Letty was only 16 and she was family. They had a long talk about what to do with Letty, whether they should try to find her father, keep her at their house for a while or just let her go about handling things the way she felt most comfortable. Although Dom wasn't thrilled about the turn in conversation, they also discussed strict orders for Dom to cut out any "inappropriate behavior" right then and there. Dom didn't appreciate his Dad butting in but he was right and Dom knew it. Just like with CJ, Dom gave his word to keep his hands off of Letty no matter how hot she was starting to look to him.

They also filled Mia in on what had happened and as predicted, she felt horrible for not knowing what was going on with her friend. Dom tried to assure her that Letty wasn't mad at her for it but she was convinced that she needed to make things up to Letty. But Dom warned her not to make a big deal out of things or it would just end up making Letty uncomfortable.

When Letty finally appeared late in the afternoon, Mia was waiting to give her a big hug. She didn't say anything but just held Letty. Surprisingly, Letty allowed it and held onto her friend tightly as she closed her eyes to all the emotions running through her. She looked tired from the night before but the Torettos could also see that amazing determination to survive that she was known for. Mr. Toretto took over then and worked his magic, doing everything that he could to cheer her up and make sure she was okay. He explained that Dom was over at the garage which was more or less a relief for Letty who was feeling so embarrassed about what had happened with them that morning.

Letty wasn't in much of a mood to rehash things so she and Mia settled down to watch a movie. Later on, Dom and his dad returned home with Letty's favorite food and Dom was delighted to see Letty's smile over the attention. He again felt that sting of emotion in his gut over seeing the happiness in her face. Even though her eyes still held a lingering sadness, it was clear that she was going to be alright.

Mia and Mr. Toretto wandered to the kitchen to get ready for dinner, leaving Letty and Dom alone. At that moment, Dom realized why things were so good between them. Even with all of the drama and emotions and potential awkwardness of the situation, there was still a sense of comfort in their company. Letty's slight smile remained on her face as she walked over to where Dom was standing and, to his surprise, she took him in her arms for a sweet embrace.

"Thanks Dom" she whispered in his ear. Her soft breath against his skin sent chills down his spine and he pulled her tightly against him, loving the way they felt together. There was love and acceptance in their embrace coupled with the mutual attraction.

But Dom wasn't going to go back on his word to CJ or his dad and Letty knew that for whatever reason, she wasn't going to be with Dom no matter how big her crush on him was or how raging his hormones got. But one day she would pay him back for what he had done for her earlier. He had been right. She needed him to be strong for her that morning. If there ever came a day when she would have to return the favor, she would be right there by his side.

She never imagined that day would come so soon.

* * *

Dom sat at his special spot wondering how the hell he was going to get through this mess he had gotten himself in. Everything had gone to shit in what seemed like a blink of an eye. His father dead, his freedom all but gone, his life hanging by a whim. He thought nothing would be worse than CJ's death or his mother's death. He thought he would have his father around forever. Surely God wouldn't take his father away after all the loss he had gone through. But nothing could have prepared him for that race that took his father and absolutely nothing would ever be worse than watching him die on that track in the chaos of smoke and fire. And as far as he was concerned, it was the day that he died too.

He had tried to be there for Mia who was devastated by their father being taken away from her. She was too young and too sweet to be orphaned like that. Letty had been there for her too knowing exactly what to do and say when Dom was out of consolation. She had put aside her own sadness to take care of them and help them arrange things. She said it was the least she could do after everything they had done for CJ. Even Letty's father had sobered up enough to be of some help.

But none of it could save Dom. After the funeral, he shut down. There were so many emotions running through him the days after his father had died…or murdered as he thought of it. He didn't know what to do with all of his feelings so he tucked them away deep inside where they couldn't plague him at night and terrorize him at the moments that most reminded him of the special bond he had with his father.

That had worked for a few months but slowly Dom became more destructive in an effort to keep from dealing with his loss. He was a man and he wasn't going to cry everyday over his father. His father would have wanted him to be strong and take care of his family. As much as his boys were there for him, Vince ready to show him a good time, Leon helping him take care of business or Jesse cracking a joke that focused attention away from Dom's never-ending grief, sometimes he wasn't in the mood to put on the strong front for them. His aunt had moved in more permanently to help take care of their store. Dom kept up with the garage but it was hard to be in there sometimes. He tried not to go alone and often took Letty with him in order to cope. He knew that with her around he wouldn't let his emotions get the best of him and she would at least just let him be.

After what had happened between them on the anniversary of CJ's death, they had kept at a physical distance although they still remained close. Dom wasn't in any way giving up his girl crazy ways and being around Letty was just too tempting. Letty had been embarrassed how she had acted for the longest time thinking that Dom didn't see her as anything but a little girl. But he had shown her that night that at the very least, he was her friend and family and that she could count on him to be there for her in her darkest hours. She tried to return the favor after the accident that had taken Dom's dad but there was no getting through to him.

But all of that built up emotion was bound to blow up at some point and for Dom, it did in a big way. During a chance encounter with the man who had caused the accident that took his father's life, Dom had snapped. When Dom laid eyes on Linder, there was no reason, no rationalization, no thinking and no mercy. Dom remembered seeing his lips move but had no idea what was said. All he saw was hate and loss.

When they finally pulled him from Linder's body, hands sore and covered in blood, Dom had again returned to that comfortable numb. But this time it was to block out that awful place inside him that could do that to another man.

He didn't run away before the police came and didn't protest when they took him away. He took responsibility for his behavior and pled guilty to aggravated assault in exchange for the least amount of prison time he could get. At least his father would have approved of that despite the disgrace that he now was to the Toretto name.

Now he was sitting at the beach the night before he was scheduled to be sentenced. It was a formality. The deal had already been sealed and all that was left to do was show up tomorrow morning and prepare to take his punishment. He sat there thinking about how he had failed Mia, his friends and the memory of his father and prayed that he would get out of prison alive so that he could some how, some way make things right.

He wasn't exactly surprised when he heard a car door slam and listened for the soft footfalls heading in his direction. He knew who it was and even though he wanted to pretend that this was his time for solitude, he couldn't lie to himself about how relieved he was that she had remembered this place. He had only taken her here that one night and although she had appeared checked out for most of the time, Letty was a sharp girl. It wasn't shocking that she knew how to get back to this place, or that she knew he would be there that night.

He felt rather than heard Letty come up beside him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her long, dark hair blowing gently in the breeze and it made him want to reach out and touch it to try to tame her wild tresses in a way that he could never tame her. Letty turned her head towards him and just stared at him as he sat on the edge of the barrier that separated the parking lot from the beach. His feet dangled against the railing about a foot or so from the sandy slope beneath them. Ignoring the stoic expression that had been a permanent fixture on his face since his father died, Letty moved behind him, wrapped her arms around him and held him as tight as she could. She didn't know if he would accept her embrace but she had to try. He had been so distant, not willing to take help or support from anyone even after the fight with Linder. But she had to try just like he had done with her. He may reject her over it but she had to push back her pride and try to get through to him

But she needn't have worried. As soon as he felt her warm arms wrap around him, Dom felt like he was home. He clasped her hands as they wrapped around his chest and intertwined his fingers with hers. She had a good hold of him and so it felt only right to lean back and lose himself in her arms if only for a few moments. His sigh wasn't one of contentment but it was a releasing of tensions that he hadn't felt in months. He hadn't known it when he drove out here but this is exactly what he needed.

They stood there for long moments smelling the salty sea air and seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Letty had settled her cheek against the top of Dom's head and stroked the large hand clasped in hers with her thumb. Dom could feel the heat and curve of her body against him but it was anything but sexual. It was human and comforting and everything that he knew he would miss while he was away. He couldn't even bring himself to think of it as going to prison. It might make him a coward but thinking about it like that made it too real and he wanted his reality to revolve around his freedom and his family, what was left of it anyway.

And one piece of that family was holding him right then, not loosening her hold of him even after the many minutes she had spent comforting him.

"Did I ever tell you how I got my name?" Letty moved her head slightly, her voice breaking into the calm fluid of his thoughts. Dom blinked in confusion both at her choice to speak and the subject matter. He had never thought much about her name. He knew her full name was Charlotte but everyone called her Letty. He hadn't even realized that Letty knew that he knew her full name. She certainly didn't volunteer it. In fact, he really didn't remember how he had found out--probably some drunken revelation from CJ that he had swore him to secrecy about. It wasn't that she seemed to be particularly opposed to the name, it's just that no one ever called her that including her father or CJ. He just assumed she was named after her father just like her brother was.

Dom felt Letty move slightly against him, this time to bow her head in his direction. He realized that he hadn't answered her and jerked his head back and forth indicating that she had not told him. She was silent again and Dom thought that maybe she had decided against disclosing whatever it was she was going to say.

"I really wish you guys could have met my mom," she murmured against his ear.

Dom blinked in amazement at her statement, even more surprised at this next choice of conversation. No one ever talked about Letty's mother. Ever. CJ had clearly seen to that and everyone respected that even if they were curious as hell about what had happened. Dom knew that she had passed away some time ago and figured that it was the reason that Letty's father was such a mess. Any other details were very carefully guarded by survivors of whatever tragedy took her life and even though he didn't know too much about their family, he was pretty sure Letty's mom had a different name. He didn't really recall how he knew that but he did. Letty's fingers had ceased their stroking of his hand so Dom took over the contact encouraging her to fill him in on whatever she was thinking at the moment.

With a quiet sigh Letty continued. "She was really wonderful. I remember everything about her. I know they say that these memories fade after time but not for me." She gave him a slight squeeze knowing that Dom knew exactly what she meant through his experience with his own mother. "She was always making us laugh, me and CJ and Papi...especially Papi. Sometimes we'd be hanging out and we'd just laugh and laugh together. We had a good life then. It's crazy how all that can just disappear without you knowing anything...not having done anything."

Even though her last words had been tinged with so much sadness, she smiled thinking of the wonderful memories she had of those good times. She could remember the trips to the park and the family dinners so vividly in her mind. They hadn't been rich in terms of money but they were a family that knew what it meant to be alive...at least for a while they had. Some families never had that she always tried to tell herself on the difficult days.

Dom removed his fingers from hers and gently rubbed the back of her hand and her lower arm. He could see her from the corner of his eyes and she had a far off look to match the wistful half smile on her face. Her hands now empty clutched his body in a casual but firm grip that revealed just how tense this subject made her even if her voice remained calm.

"Nobody could make Papi laugh like that except my Aunt Charlotte. They were close you know. Twins, Papi and my Tia C. Everyone tells me that she cried so much when they first introduced me to her at the hospital. That's why everyone said me and CJ were so close--we were Charlie and Charlotte all over again." Dom hadn't known any of this. CJ had never said a word. Even though this was all new to him, he wanted to know about everything that she was willing to tell. He had a feeling she had never spoken about any of this before to anyone, even Mia. But he kept silent so she could tell her story at her own pace.

But Letty was quiet again. Maybe she was thinking about CJ or her mom. Dom couldn't tell but he kept stroking her soft skin hoping to soothe her into telling him more. For some reason, he needed to know. Eventually it worked.

"Mommy and Tia were close too, like best friends. We were all a big family. When we found out Mommy and Tia were pregnant at the same time, everything seemed perfect." Dom sucked in a breath and shook his head knowing that things weren't going to go anywhere good in this story. He took Letty's hands once again and squeezed her tight. He could feel the hardness of CJ's dog tags against his back reminding them both of CJ's presence. "I guess in the end, it really was too perfect."

Letty hadn't planned on saying any of this to Dom but it seemed like the right time. She wanted him to know everything, so he could understand. She wasn't naive enough to think that she could save him. All she could do was love him and return the favor that she owed him from a rough night for her not too long ago. With a sigh of determination, she continued.

"Me and CJ were at school and my dad and our uncle were at the garage they owned together." Too perfect, again. Dom had suspected that CJ and Letty had gotten their knowledge about cars from their dad. Although Mr. Torres certainly didn't have his act together to keep a steady job or work in a garage, he definitely knew a lot. There had been a few times that CJ mentioned something to that effect and during his more lucid moments, he and his dad had had a few good conversations about their mutual love of the craft.

"Our uncle always dropped off my Aunt Charlotte in the morning so she and my mom could hang out. But since they were so pregnant, they usually just slept in after getting me and CJ off to school. They said it was their right because they were so fat and uncomfortable. Well, my mom said that since it was Tia C's first baby. They only had a couple more months to go and we were so excited."

Letty paused again and Dom could feel her breathing become erratic as she remembered the day that changed her life forever. "I came home at the same time I always did and I went to go show my mom my latest project or good grade. It's funny that I can never remember that detail." She let out a soft grunt that was probably meant to be an ironic chuckle but it fell flat and simply sounded forced and sad.

"But she wouldn't wake up. Neither would Tia C. I kept shaking them and calling them but they wouldn't wake up. And they were so cold."

If Dom could have held her any tighter he would have. Letty wasn't crying or anything. She wasn't a cryer and even if she were, he had a feeling that she had cried enough tears over this to last her a lifetime. If anything was more awful than losing CJ, that was it.

Letty wished that time would take away the sharpness of her memory. Or better yet, take the damn memory away all together. But it never did and not a day went by that she didn't think of her lost family. There were so many people long gone, including the cousin that would never know the world and little baby sister that her dad was so convinced her mom was going to have. "It was carbon monoxide poisoning. They never felt a thing. They just went to bed and never woke up."

Dom felt truly awful. He never imagined that Letty and CJ and their father had gone through something like that. Suddenly, he understood so many things about her life.

They stood there in silence for many minutes. The time stretched on as they both digested her story. Dom didn't think she would tell him any more details and truth be told, he didn't want to hear them. It brought up too much of his own pain from when his mother had passed away. They didn't need words anyway. Their shared grief was conversation enough.

"She was so pretty Dom," Letty said brightly. He could feel her smile against his cheek as she remembered something good about her mother. Dom smiled right along with her, remembering CJ's promise that Letty would be a knock out just like their mother. "And my Tia C could do no wrong to me and CJ. They both did so much for us and loved us like no one else could. Everyone adored them but nobody more than my dad. She and Aunt Charlotte meant the world to him."

Dom continued to hold her and keep a tight grasp on her tiny hands. He looked down at their intertwined fingers, so similar in texture and coloring despite the differences in their backgrounds and lifestyles. They were a bit abused from working at the garage but otherwise strong and attractive. He brought one of her hands to his lips and placed several delicate kisses against it.

He hadn't said a word since she had showed up but he became curious about one little detail and thought he'd press his luck and ask. "What was your mom's name?"

This time Letty gave a real chuckle in his ear, such a lovely, deep sound that made his heart skip. But then she quieted and her mood became dark again. "Her name was Diana. They got a lot of bad jokes back in the day but now..."

Silence fell upon them again. The sounds of the ocean never changed and neither did their comfort in each other. Their separate tragedies made them the closest of companions in that moment.

Letty sighed and moved away from him. She pulled her hands away from his and moved his face so that he was looking up at her. "Dom, when his wife and his twin sister died, my dad never got over it. He just...stopped everything. He stopped feeling, he stopped caring, sometimes I even think he stopped loving me and CJ. I know he didn't really. I saw that after CJ died but it feels like that sometimes. He never dealt with it and I hate to say it but especially after CJ, I know he never will." She stroked his cheek and rested her forehead against his. "Don't be like that Dom. Don't turn yourself off. Mia needs you. I need you. Hell, even the guys need you. We don't care about whatever happened. But we can't lose you too--not in the ways that count."

Letty never talked about the hurt over her father's actions. She took it and stayed strong even when CJ was still alive. But with only a few words, she conveyed everything that her father had done to her and was still doing to her by refusing to let the mistakes and hardships go. Dom closed his eyes in quiet shame. He covered the hand that was stroking his cheek with his own. Hearing her heartache changed everything. He thought this had been about her, about them but it wasn't. Not exactly anyway. How did she manage to do that to him? She had turned the tables and he hadn't even seen it coming.

"Somebody that means a lot to me once said that I needed to let him be strong for me when it mattered. But I'm not a little girl anymore. I think it's time that I returned the favor." Dom took in a sharp breath and grabbed Letty's hand, pulling it away from his face before she could feel the tear fall from his eye. His Letty. She was trying to save him. The same way he had tried to save her.

He had hurt her and he had hurt Mia. Of course, he had always known that but had ignored it. But, it wasn't that simple to change right then and there. The most stubborn parts of him didn't want to listen to her. He was really just fine and doing what he had to do to take care of business. He was the man in the family and even if he had fucked things up, he was going to be a man about it.

But if that were the case, why couldn't he look Letty in those beautiful brown eyes of hers.

The more that Letty's words sunk in, the more he wanted to just let go. As much as he tried to convince himself, he wasn't a man. He was just a boy who screwed up and had no idea how to fix things. He was scared. He was scared for Mia and for his father's legacy being destroyed because he wasn't around to make sure people remembered what a great man he was. He needed to be hard because the world was hard for taking his father from him. But then why was he trembling in the arms of this 17 year old girl who had carried more burdens than he could imagine and still managed to survive…with the help of a few people.

Dom didn't know what to do or how to feel but there was one thing that felt right. It was the only thing he could do at the moment and it felt like instinct, like breathing.

He turned around still sitting on the barrier and put his arms around Letty again. He buried his face in her neck and little by little, he let his emotions go.

"It's going to be okay Dom. It really will." He didn't cry but with every breath that he pushed out, some of his humanity returned to him. With every pass of Letty's hand against his back, soothing him and filling him with warmth, he felt as if things would be okay somehow, someway, simply because Letty said so.

Dom felt her lips brush against the top of his head just as his had caressed her hand only a short while before. He knew that at some point he was going to have to let her go and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Then all too soon, she pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes. Her intense brown eyes said so much to him. It relayed her compassion and her trust; her fear for him but also her hope and her ultimate and genuine belief that things would work out. Maybe things really would be alright just because Letty believed it. One thing was for sure though. It was definitely better than stewing in pathetic self pity, crying over the situation he got himself again.

She was smiling down at him now. She took his face and cradled it in her hands and they both felt the familiar spark and attraction that had been a part of their lives for quite some time. Once his emotions returned in full-force, it was like a flood that he had no way of controlling. Now that he had allowed himself to feel, he wanted to feel everything. Neither moved to act on it though. Letty didn't want to be his pre-incarceration trick and he didn't want Letty pining for him while he was locked up for God knows how long. But still, maybe just one little kiss would be enough to sustain him while he was away from her. He admitted that he was weak and Letty standing in his arms right then, feeling soft yet solid was starting to cloud his judgment when he considered how long he'd be away from her. He had promised CJ but dammit, his best friend wouldn't deny him this, would he?

Letty had an idea what was going through his mind and she had every intention of being true to her words about being the strong one this time. She stepped back a little more and let go of his face. Dom immediately grabbed her hands and intertwined their fingers as they had been before. She may want to put some distance between them to dim their rising sexual tension but he wasn't going to let her get too far. He knew even she had her limits when it came to him.

She raised her eyebrow at him and gave him that hot-shit grin that had been driving Dom crazy for months. But his tactic seemed to work as he was able to pull her back to him without much resistance. He seemed to be getting a lot of enjoyment reminding her of their close proximity, especially since his head was only slightly above breast level.

"No, I agree with you. You are definitely not a little girl anymore," he growled out seductively. Letty giggled very girlishly but didn't move when Dom pulled her in between his legs and held her loosely in his arms. Her smile grew as she felt him against her again, very much aware of every inch of contact their bodies made. She didn't answer him though. She continued to look into his eyes as her smile faded and she moved tempting lips closer to his. The night had grown a little chilly but there was nothing but heat radiating off of their bodies as they burned for each other. Dom moved his hands down to her hips and pulled her even closer into him, loving the feel of her curves in his grasp.

Letty raised her arms to take his face again in the palms of her hands. He closed his eyes anticipating the sweet taste of her mouth on his. He had so many images in his mind of what he wanted to do to her. But none of that was going to happen. He did have some integrity. He simply wanted one kiss before he had to leave her. She could have her boyfriends or love affairs while he was gone but he wanted one genuine, passionate kiss before any other boy got to her.

It would have been so easy. They could have just leaned in and let their childhood desire for each other take over, and it would no doubt be hot and comforting and utterly wonderful. But Letty had other plans. She was clearly the adult for the evening. Instead of placing her lips against Dom's, which she longed to do as much as him, she eased her lips to his cheek almost to the corner of his mouth. She pressed her lips against his warm skin and felt him jump in surprise. She swore she saw extreme disappointment in his eyes before he closed them again and pressed his lips against her cheek to reciprocate the kiss.

And just like that, Letty was out of his arms and back in her car. Dom simply sat there as he watched her car pull out and head back to their neighborhood. He stayed in the same spot even well over an hour after she left thinking about the things she had told him and the things he needed to do in order to be the man that his father expected of him.

He never even got to say thank you. But he knew Letty didn't need to hear that. Him taking care of his business would be thanks enough. He took one last look at the ocean, at freedom, at his special place...their special place. With a sense of finality, he then walked slowly to his car, got in and pulled away.

To Be Continued...


	5. Transformations part 1

**Author's note: It's been way too long. Thanks to my kick-ass beta who finally had time to nag me into updating this story many months after she sent back the last draft. You're the best--now stop hounding me and enjoy your time off! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and encouraged me with this story. I hope you enjoy the update. **

**Growing Up Fast**

**Chapter 5**

**Transformations (part 1)**

_Hey Dom,_

_First of all, fuck you for all the shit you gave me in your last letter. I'm glad you haven't gotten too soft. If you weren't getting out soon, I'd threaten to never write you again. I know that would break your cold, mean little heart. It's a good thing that I like your sister so much because with anybody else, I'd kick their ass for being as nosy as you are. Speaking of you getting out, don't tell anybody that I told you but Mia's planning a big party for when you get back. She wants it to be a surprise but I figure you'd be pissed if you weren't in on it. Don't say that I never did anything for you. _

_Anyway, back to why I'm pissed at you. You know I don't mind reading your chicken-scratch every few weeks but when you're lecturing me, I have this bad habit of getting mad and then skipping over to the less annoying parts of your letter. I know I'm a little distracted these days but I'm not going to mess up my life by going to a few street races. You should be thankful since it means I can help out more with the garage and the store. And before you get all guilt-ridden and broody like I know you do, remember that I LIKE doing that stuff. I know CJ had higher hopes for me but that's not in the cards so I've got to play the hand I'm dealt, right? Besides, if I thought I was doing you any favors, I'd sure as hell pick something with better hours and nicer eye-candy than a sweaty Vince and Leon. _

_Sorry I haven't been keeping in touch as much as usual. I'm sure you've heard what's been going on with my dad from Mia. Nothing that I can't handle though. I've got it under control so don't let her get you all concerned or anything. You know how dramatic and over-protective she can get. Still, it's weird dealing with all this you know. With everybody else, it was quick and I didn't have all this thinking to do about it. I look at my dad everyday and I know he's going to die and that shit is deep. Sometimes I want to put everything behind me and just enjoy the last times I'm going to spend with him but then I look at him not even caring that I have to see him like that. He's still drinking and smoking and screwing off all the doctors. But I don't have to tell you. You know how he is. So fuck it. Some things weren't meant to be I guess. _

_Enough of that depressing shit though. You won't believe the party we've got planned for Mia's graduation. It's going to be the biggest shit since back in the day--but with less bitches swarming around I hope. Mia and I need to get ours too. Hahahaha! I know you're shitting yourself thinking about us like that but you're going to have to get used to us being women. You know Mia's a good girl--no worries there. Leon, Vince and Jesse are making sure no one forgets it too--Vince a little too much sometimes. You'd be proud of them. We finally found THE car for me. Of course it needs a lot of work and it'll take forever to get into racing form but it'll be worth it. When I saw it, I knew it was the one. You know that feeling you get when you're in the presence of a truly sweet ride? Well multiply that by 10 and you've got what I feel when I look at this car. it's perfect. I can't wait to show it to you. I'm sure your smart ass will have something useful to say about getting it up and running. Besides, if you don't help fix it up, you're just going to have to look at it sitting there every day in the shop and I know that'll piss you off. _

_I hope you liked the package Mia sent last week. I picked out those socks. Cute, huh? Don't let the lock-down bitches steal them from you. I'll be sure to send pictures of Mia's graduation. She's going to go farther than all of us and that's cool. _

_Catch you later, playa,_

_Letty_

Dom folded the letter back up and put it in the bag with the rest of his important personal items. He had read it so many times, laughing at all the same spots and feeling yet another pang of homesickness.

It had been a rough 2 years, no doubt about it. Prison was messed up. Everyday seemed like a struggle for survival if you didn't know the routine. Dom tried to stay out of the hot spots because he knew with his temper he was bound to get into trouble sooner or later. But luckily, he had only been in one fight and that had gotten cleared up before the C.O.'s had rolled in on them. He also learned quick that looking the part kept people from dogging him so he beefed himself up so that the other inmates could get a clear idea of who they were messing with.

What also kept him going was knowing what he had to go home to. He noticed that a lot of guys on the inside didn't have that motivation and that's why they didn't care what happened to them while they were locked up. It killed him that he couldn't be there for Mia but he knew she was being taken care of. Letty, Leon, Jesse and even Vince were holding it down with the shops. Letty and Mia made sure they were in the loop. Mia sent him letters all the time and he even got to talk to her on the phone when he could stand being out in the yard with all the knuckleheads. Vince and Mia had made the trip to see him a couple of times but he didn't really like them seeing him locked up. Besides, it was no place for Mia to be hanging out, especially now that she was really growing into a beautiful young woman.

He loved hearing from his little sister but it was also a lot to deal with. There was always the constant reminder of how fucked up the situation was. Mia tried not to even mention anything about prison--she didn't ask any questions and Dom didn't offer any details. They played their roles with her being the cute little sister and him being the overprotective older brother. But what good was all that when he was behind bars? It's not like he could intimidate the little punks who were trying to date her or complain about her revealing, grown-up clothes when she went out. He appreciated the contact but sometimes it was just another reminder of everything he was missing out on because of his stupidity. And that made him feel another level of bad about the situation.

Vince, Leon and Jesse didn't write much, none of them being too excited about the written word. When they did write, it was clear that they felt weird and self-conscious about it. He couldn't really talk to them about what was going on anyway with all the "man rules" against getting too personal. They were his boys but none of them felt like they had it like that. They were uncomfortable talking about how life was moving on without him on the outside. But sometimes Jesse and Leon would send these cool designs for cars asking for Dom's opinion and they'd end up sending stuff back and forth with different modifications. Those were the highlights for him but they were few and far between.

Leave it to his Letty to be his lifeline. Every letter he got from Letty was like a special treat all its own. With her, things were what he would describe as just normal. Every letter from her was like hearing from someone or hearing something you weren't expecting and didn't realize you needed until it's laying right there in your lap. They talked about everything--even in a way that they didn't before he was locked up. It was like he didn't even need to ask her the things he really wanted to know. She just knew and filled him in without missing a beat. All the letters were like the one he just read. So painfully honest and open but with her own kind of edge. And there was a trust that she knew he would understand because his letters to her were the same. He wasn't afraid to tell her about the fight he almost got into in the mess or how lonely he could get even surrounded 24 hours by bodies and noise. Like her, he shared aspects of his daily routine that made this whole crazy situation seem like nothing more than few years spent at a far away college. He would always be grateful to her for that and he made a mental note to tell her someday.

He didn't keep any pictures up in his cell not wanting people in his business. But even at that very moment, he could close his eyes and picture her face and how her hair felt when it brushed against his skin. He could hear her soft laugh. He had been with his share of women--beautiful, hot, sexy, freaky women. Funny how it was Letty that he thought of late at night in his cell, not in the way to satisfy his sexual urges but in a way that reminded him of sensual and loving intimacy, of something more than the physical. But it was in prison more than any other place on the planet that you always thought of the things you couldn't have.

And right now it felt so good to be driving back towards her and Mia and the boys. Back to his old life. It was either going to be great or a colossal disaster. He turned from looking out the window of the moving bus speeding towards L.A. He glanced back down again at his small bag of personal items--the only things to mark the last 2 years of his life. He mentally counted down the minutes until he was back with the people who had stuck by him. The only family he had left now. He was coming home from Hell and he wasn't ever going back to that. Ever.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

The party was in full swing and it was one of the best ones yet. Everyone was saying that it was even better than Mia's graduation party which people had been talking about for months. Dom looked around him at all the people--the friends and family that had gathered to welcome him back to his old world. The music was playing and Mia had made sure there was a spread of food that rivaled any party they had before. Dom hadn't known what to expect when Letty filled him in on the surprise party plans. Two years was a long time and he didn't think anyone would care enough to celebrate his return. People were fickle like that, moving on to the next hot thing in the neighborhood. But a ton of people had showed up and the party was off the hook with the liquor flowing, the girls gyrating and that old feeling that he was the king of the streets. It was strange because he considered being in prison as his shame but it turned out that it made him look more mysterious and dangerous to some people, and therefore more attractive. But he didn't kid himself that his time in prison was something that he should be proud of or anything more than a punishment for something terrible that he had done. That was nothing to brag about.

He had one eye on Mia as usual. She had gotten even more beautiful in the two years that had passed and he was going to have to work extra hard keep the boys in line--including some of HIS boys it looked like. Vince was the same jerk he always was. That would never change he thought. And he had brought Leon and Jesse completely into the fold of his crazy world. He wasn't exactly the best influence out there but it was all good as long as they were there for each other. In fact, Vince and Jesse had helped Leon fix up this sweet ride that he was sporting around town these days.

Dom was so lucky to have all of this given what he had done. It was more than he could ask for and also more than he deserved in his mind. And dammit, he was going to enjoy it. Nothing was to be taken for granted.

He felt ungrateful wishing for more but he could not deny that things were not the same without having Letty in the crowd. On nights like this she would either be playing at being Mia's sidekick or posturing to get the boys to take her seriously. She wouldn't stand to be dismissed. He was sure that hadn't changed much in the last two years and his money was always on her. He had been really looking forward to seeing her almost as much as Mia. He understood why she couldn't be there and he wanted to believe that she was as disappointed as he was. But realistically, he just wanted to see her even though he knew that she had other things on her mind at the moment.

Charles Torres--chronic alcoholic, ever-grieving widow, one-time mechanical genius and father of two of the most influential people in his life, only one of them still living--was dead. And it was up to his only living relative, his daughter Charlotte to make sure that despite what a crappy father he had been for the past 15 years, he was laid to rest where he was meant to be--by his beloved wife's side.

Her father had died 2 days before Dom had been released and she had driven back to New Mexico to bury him next to her mother. According to Mia, she didn't think he deserved it but she knew that it was the right thing to do. Dom wasn't pleased to hear that they let her drive all that way by herself but she had insisted on going alone. Leon had even showed up at her doorstep with packed bag in hand but she had sent him away. She had a lot to process and the long drive was just what she needed to get her head straight. So she had said goodbye to the crew, made Mia promise to give Dom a hug for her, warned the guys not to let too many skanks in the house and then drove off to close a very large and sad chapter in her life.

He thought the news was guaranteed to take away his socializing mood. But Dom had done his best to put all of that out of his mind after the party got into full swing. He was sitting in the living room drinking a Corona and bullshitting with his boys like old times. He had a hottie sitting on his lap looking completely satisfied after his having rocked her world a half hour before. Freedom felt good. For a moment, it was almost like nothing had changed.

He looked out the window at a noise in the front yard and saw the blinking of some lights farther down the street. He leaned back and squinted his eyes to see what the activity was, dismissing the Lanson's too bright sensor light. Some things really did never change. But he continued to stare out the window and quickly realized that he had automatically shifted his gaze to Letty's house two doors down, looking as dark and sad as he imagined she felt at the moment.

Damn. Even with all this life happening around him, he couldn't get her off his mind.

A shifting of movement broke Dom free of his revery as he watched a small form move silently in the driveway of the house. Maybe it was his brain trying to catch up with his longing for Letty but finally it registered that it was the object of his thoughts that he was staring at, moving around at 1:00 in the morning.

Her garage door was open and it looked like she was rifling through the contents of her car trunk parked snugly in the dark garage. Dom didn't need more encouragement to go to her. He carelessly slid his hottie of his lap causing her to frown deeply.

"Where you going baby?" she asked flipping her long bleached blonde hair over her shoulder and trying her best to sound sexy and not clingy like all the other skanks at the party. She failed miserably.

"I'll be back. Don't worry about it." He placed his beer bottle on the table and moved to leave. Not willing to let her conquest go so easily the hottie grabbed for his hand not realizing that such a move was likely to land her on thin ice with Dom. Fortunately for her, Dom had other things on his mind.

"So I'll keep your bed warm for you lover," she said in a tone too syrupy sweet to be taken seriously.

Dom threw her a distracted glance while he made his way to the door. "Yeah. Whatever." Then he left without so much as a nod to the girl he had so recently taken repeatedly and passionately in his bedroom.

He walked quickly down the block eager to see his friend but also giving him time to think of what to say. Writing letters is one thing but translating that into everyday, post-incarceration chit-chat sounded like a challenge. Plus, he knew that she was grieving no matter how hard she'd try to shake it off. He needed to be there for her but he was afraid that after so much time and with all that happened he wouldn't know how.

He could see her more clearly now. She was taking bags out of the trunk and lining them up on the driveway, presumably to take them inside. She hadn't noticed him yet walking down the street towards her even though he was making no particular effort to be quiet. She seemed completely lost in her own tumultuous thoughts to worry about hearing an old friend coming to welcome her home in the middle of the night.

As he got closer to her he noticed that she was still clad all in back. She had on a long black dress that hung loosely on her and her head and shoulders were down even though she appeared to be standing as tall as her petite frame could stretch. His heart broke seeing such unveiled sadness radiating from her. This was not how he imagined seeing her again. All he could do was stand there staring at his old friend. This is what it meant to come home and even in her misery, her beautiful strength was still like a punch in the gut.

Her hair was tied back and blowing softly in the wind. It was a little shorter than he remembered, more sophisticated. He was thankful for that because it allowed him to see her face fully. Maybe it was the grown-up things she was being forced to do but she seemed so much older than her nineteen years. He had thought she was pretty even before he landed himself in prison but the woman standing before him was more than he could have ever expected from a few years of growing up. She still had the same smooth skin and hard, seasoned features but always with that soft edge that would never convince him that she was the complete bad-ass that she liked to portray. Her eyes seemed to glow even at the angle he was viewing her from. He thought it could have been from tears but he knew that glint in her bold, brown eyes from the many times that he had had them turned in his direction.

She still hadn't noticed him even though he was already to the edge of the driveway. That worried him because Letty had always had such good instincts. But then again, it was the middle of the night and she had just returned from burying the last of her immediate family. Well, it was the last of her family by blood because he and Mia and the boys weren't going anywhere from this point forward. He looked at her take the last of the bags out of the trunk before slamming it shut and closing the door to the small garage. She stood there, bathed in moonlight for a full minute looking down at the cargo she had just lined up. He wondered what was in those bags that was causing her so much stress.

Finally she heaved a huge sigh of resignation and bent to pick up the half-empty bag closest to her. It was then that she looked up towards the driveway and noticed Dom standing there quite content to simply watch her all night long. He smiled sheepishly at her in that cute way that always made her stomach flip. She was surprised yet somewhat pleased to feel that two years hadn't dulled that effect he had on her. And he looked damn good too. The bald head and extra muscles fit him perfectly and it didn't help that he was still standing there with that with that hot-shit grin on his face. This had been one of the most awful weeks of her life, second only to losing CJ but damn if he didn't make it all better somehow.

"Hey," he uttered quietly not wanting to stir the charged air between them too much.

"Hey yourself," she challenged tilting her head to the side so that it caught the wind again and blew around her shoulders. Her expression had changed completely upon seeing him again in the flesh. Where there had been sadness, there was now delight. It was so profound how one person could elicit that reaction by just standing there existing.

There were so many emotions flowing between them that it was hard for them to think of the next thing to say or do. It had been so long since they had spoken 2 words to each other--but it felt like no time had passed at all. They were still two kids who grew up together, who loved and mourned the same great brother and who had helped each other through some of the darkest days of their lives. Would things be awkward between them now that they were older and presumably wiser? Had things changed too much for them to be close; were they too adult now for such childish allegiances?

Dom was the first to act. He took several long strides towards her and enveloped her in his arms as if they were the only two people in the universe. He held her so tightly, the palm of his large hand on the back of her head and his other arm wrapped around her shoulder. He smiled when he felt her return the embrace just as solidly. There was relief and gratitude and warmth pouring from them. It was welcome back, comforting support and simple friendship all rolled into one. There was even a hint of their mutual desire. Whether it was from times past or a reaction to seeing each other as their new and more mature selves fueling their passion was something they weren't in the space to dissect at the moment.

They stood that way for long moments. Seconds stretched to minutes and the moon seemed to spotlight the two friends as the warm breeze rushed over them. Dom passed his fingers through her hair, pleasantly surprised that all those memories he relied on weren't wrong. He could feel her strong hands holding him, occasionally running her thumbs against the thin material of his shirt and sending chills down his back. Little Letty was in his arms again and it felt absolutely right. Home hadn't felt quite right until this moment when he had her in his embrace. Along with Mia, she was his rock--and he was hers.

He wasn't so lost in the moment that he couldn't feel her tears silently soaking his t-shirt. For a moment he felt like such an idiot for not sensing her shift in mood but he got over it quickly and focused on giving her some peace. You couldn't even tell she was crying from the expression on the young face that was exposed to the night. Her eyes were closed but even without those revealing orbs, you could still feel her sadness. He kissed the top of her head in a comforting gesture and rocked her ever so gently in his arms. She always thought she had to be so strong. But it was always him with whom she let her guard down. It was somehow comforting to see another, more pleasant thing that hadn't changed.

In that moment, Dom grieved with her for everything she had lost. She was closing the door on a huge part of her life and while Letty would always persevere, seeing her childhood end right in front of his eyes was difficult. Even when he was at his worst, Dom knew Letty and CJ had loved their father. And like CJ, there was nothing and no one that could replace that kind of family. In many ways, Mia and Dom were better than anything she had in terms of real family since CJ died. But it was different. There was no reconciliation with Letty and her father. There was no final revelation of love and endearment. There was only the end. Although she would always be Letty Torres, she would never be the same.

He didn't know if she was weeping over seeing him again or whether it was a delayed reaction to the grief that would have overwhelmed any normal person. But not his Letty. She was no ordinary girl. No, "woman." She was a woman right now from the feel of her ripened curves to the the respect that she commanded even as she cried on his shoulder. All he knew was that she was sharing a bit of herself with him and especially after all the time they had lost together, he wasn't going to let that slip through his fingers.

So Dom held her and whispered assurances softly in her hear. He stroked her head and let his hands sooth her tense muscles, trying hard not to think about the soft skin beneath his fingers. The eager woman he had hooked up with only a few moments before was forgotten. His homecoming party, still raging a few yards away was forgotten. His worries about rebuilding his life were forgotten. Lompoc was forgotten. Maybe it was the emotional intensity of being back home or maybe her feelings were spilling over into him but whatever was between them was strong and throbbing and neither was willing to let go. There was only their souls melting into each other and they could have stayed that way forever.

Talk about getting caught up in the moment.

They finally pulled away from each other slowly and reluctantly but having gotten something completely necessary from the intimate embrace that they hadn't even known they needed. Letty reached up to wipe her eyes still spilling over with tears but Dom caught her hand in mid-air and held it in his. With his other hand he cupped her cheek wiping away the tear that had fallen. Now able to get a good look at her face, he was mesmerized by her strong, steady stare, still gleaming with unshed tears. He couldn't seem to let go of her all the way, preferring to caress her face and hold her loosely around the waist.

There was no denying their connection. They had barely said 2 words to each other yet they had fallen so far, so fast. But they didn't need words. So much had already been said before and it all came rushing back in those few moments when they connected on a level far deeper than either was ready to admit. Sure they knew they would be happy to see each other. But neither of them had expected it to be like this so the fear and shock were starting to settle in--not enough for them to let go of each other but enough for them not to take things any further. The timing was terrible.

Letty brought the corner of her lips up in a semi-smile and Dom couldn't help but smile back at her. He let her go, letting his hand slide down her arm in reassurance. The moment had passed and it was time to get on with their lives.

Dom looked at the bags lining the garage door a few feet away. "So you need a hand?"

Her smile broke into a bona fide grin and she nodded. They both grabbed a few bags and dropped them off inside her door. Even before he had gone away, he hadn't been inside that house in a long while. It was as uninviting as ever, shrouded in darkness and silence. He didn't like the idea of Letty staying in there by herself.

But he knew she wouldn't go back to his house where the party was still going strong. She wasn't ready for all of that life and he didn't blame her. Nor did he trust himself to be alone with her. That meant that he would go back to the party alone to reconnect with girls who painted themselves all over him and she would stay there alone and brave so she could start getting on with her life. They'd have other chances and tomorrow was tomorrow.


	6. Transformations part 2

_**Author's Note: Thanks to all of you that gave me a kick in the butt to finish this. As some of you have noticed, I write along a lot of different genres so it can take me a while to get my voice back into a story. Just one more chapter to go. I might even have a one-shot, new story to throw in the mix. Humongous thanks to my beta who takes time out of her busy schedule to set me right. **_

_**-Y-**_

**Growing Up Fast**

**Chapter 6**

Dom, Letty, Mia, Vince, Leon and Jesse got together the next day and hung out like a family. They didn't talk about the past. No one talked about the consequences of post-prison life or Letty's trip. Tomorrow had arrived and they spent it focused on the future.

Letty and Dom had both spent a restless night thinking about each other and the moment they had shared in her driveway. To the surprise of almost everyone, Dom had sent all the eager skanks packing in favor of a night alone. At her house, Letty had slept on the couch rather than her room upstairs. She couldn't bear to sleep next to now two empty bedrooms. They pondered the letters they had sent to each other and how close they had become in the last few years. They thought of the several times when they had both wanted something more even if for a few desperate moments. Dom considered the promises he had made to CJ and how long ago that seemed while Letty dwelled upon the role she had always played for the men in her life. Even though half a block apart, their musings went down a similar path wondering what was to become of the other -- and whether they were willing to pursue walking down that path together.

Now in the light of day, they silently confronted each other and were mostly relieved but also disappointed at the mutual understanding their locked gazes revealed. They were attracted to each other, probably more than either had ever been attracted to anyone else due to their shared past. But they weren't willing to risk their friendship over it. Letty wasn't interested in being one of Dom's "girls" nor was she convinced that he really saw her as more than CJ's littler sister that he had promised to protect. She had lost the two biggest links to her past and wasn't eager to get that close to anyone anytime soon. And Dom wasn't going to kid himself that he was ready to commit to somebody, even someone as seemingly compatible with him as Letty. She deserved to have a man in her life who was going to be good to her and who wouldn't hurt her. He had serious doubts whether he could be that man. So in the end, they had to come to comfortable terms with their attraction because they knew that it wasn't going anywhere.

So following Dom's homecoming, things were pretty much business as usual. He started getting back into the street racing scene and drumming up more customers for the garage, turning it into a full-fledged business and not just a side project like it had been for his father. It was slow-going and rough work, especially keeping up with the store as well. But creating a Toretto legacy was something that became important to him after having two years in prison to think about how he could make up for screwing up his life.

Dom also spent a lot of time with Mia because he had never realized before how much it meant to him that they were so close. They would go on little road trips to see family or just have a quiet dinner at home like normal people did. She had missed out on so much and in many ways had to grow up before her time. He wanted to give some of that time and normalcy back to her. At least to him, she appeared to be well-adjusted and happy. He had Letty and his crew to thank for a lot of that.

Letty got back into the swing of things too even though it took her a little longer than Dom and Mia would have liked. They were supportive and she was appreciative of their efforts in her tough girl kind of way. It would be a while before her life seemed real again. Living in that big house alone wasn't helping but it was something her father had left her along with a small amount of money. And there was part of CJ remaining in that house. Although it had never been a happy place, it still held those important memories that Letty found difficult to let go.

Leon and Jesse along with Letty were wizards in the garage just like before. With Vince spending more and more time with his band, they kept pretty busy keeping up with the work. It was crazy that they got along as well as they did with them spending so much of their time together working hard and playing even harder at the parties and street races. They became their own little team--Team Toretto.

And of course, Dom was all over the ladies. He had always been a ladies' man but it still surprised him at how willing a lot of bitches were to give it up to him just because of his reputation. He dated some of them for a few weeks but he wasn't trying to be tied down and they all knew it. He was young and having fun. He didn't need a girlfriend to be telling him what to do and nagging him to death. He just wanted the benefit of having someone keep him company in bed and occasionally to hang out with at parties. Sometimes girls tried to hang on, like the clingy act was really going to make him settle down. In fact, it just made him blow them off even quicker.

Needless to say, Dom had experienced more than his share of dramatic skank meltdowns. He had risked hooking up with that crazy Jenny Tran even though he was pretty sure that he was going to regret it. Hell, she was one of the hottest pieces of ass on the street and she was certainly eager to give it all up to him. But when it went sour, she had called her brother into it and started all kinds of shit that caused him trouble to this day. One girl tried to key his car which caused a major ejection from the street racing scene and another girl trashed his room before slapping him and hooking up with one of the other racers. Numerous bitches had tried spreading crazy rumors about him from claims that he had any number of social diseases to having performance problems or saying that he was gay.

But there was always a new ho to replace the old one and Dom continued to find girls to keep his bed warm on the regular.

Letty watched all of Dom's man-whoring with a disapproving eye and sometimes included a few choice words to go along with it. None of his girls ever liked Letty and the feeling was completely mutual. Letty liked to call Dom's girls out for the opportunistic skanks they were which usually didn't go over well. They always seemed threatened by her and it wasn't hard to see why sometimes with the way she and Dom acted around each other, bickering and bantering like an old married couple. And just like with CJ, at the end of the day he was pretty much always going to side with Letty so bitches that didn't at least tolerate her were gone sooner rather than later.

Letty tried to say that it was the price she paid for being the only girl on the team and that Vince, Jesse and Leon's girls did it too. Dom didn't buy it since Letty got along with a lot of the other guys' girlfriends but he let it go. He tried not to let on but he secretly hoped that there was more to her animosity than her sense of moral appropriateness. He occasionally flaunted his girls in front of her a little just to see what reaction he would get out of her although nine times out of then, it was usually more trouble that it was worth.

Dom wasn't much better anytime some dude came sniffing around Letty and he had the advantage of playing the whole "big brother" card. Thankfully, neither Mia or Letty were giving it away like the girls he hooked up with. Mia was too smart and Letty had too much self-respect to go giving it up to random guys who weren't going to treat them right. Letty in particular was just as likely to kick their asses if they tried to play her. But that sure didn't stop her from flirting like it was her job. And boy did that girl know how to drive a man wild. On the one hand, he hated to see it because it meant that Letty was slobbering all over some jerk who didn't deserve her. But on the other hand, he loved to watch her turning on the charm -- the way she swayed her hips and tossed her hair while giving some poor sucker the sexiest look he had ever seen on a woman. The clothes she usually wore to the races didn't help matters. She dressed pretty tomboyish at the garage like he was used to but when she went out, she could draw a guy's eye to every delicious part of her body from her smooth, sexy legs to that tight stomach that she liked to let peek out.

He tried not to think too much about his own reaction to her. Still, he couldn't help sometimes thinking about how good she looked while keeping from reaching out to grab her for himself.

What really confused the situation was that even when Dom was dating some random chick, he still liked to spend a lot of his time with Letty. They had never lost that connection of talking about bigger things with each other from the time when Dom was locked up. When they were hanging at the garage on a late night with or without the rest of the team, they would talk for hours about whatever was on their minds. It felt good and right, like he was home and she was the one person in the universe that saw things the way he did. Not even Mia and Dom had that type of relationship. Dom and Letty could navigate each others' moods and cut out all the bullshit of conversation, getting right to the parts that mattered. Hell, they could almost even finish each others' sentences, scary as that sometimes felt.

It was dangerous and they both felt that from time to time. Sometimes it seemed to Dom that acting on their attraction was the only logical thing to do. He'd look over at her and all he wanted to do was kiss her. He would stare at her lips while she talked about engine upgrades or the newest video game that she was determined to beat Jesse at. It wasn't anything she'd do on purpose. She wouldn't be flirting or anything. She was just being herself and open in a way that was special to their relationship. He had caught her staring at him too every now and then and he would pretend not to notice her checking him out. In those moments, they would hold back but they'd also be thinking, what if...

He couldn't kiss her; wouldn't kiss her. Because he wouldn't be able to stop with just a kiss and he suspected that she wouldn't either. Because kissing would lead to all kinds of complicated things that neither of them wanted to deal with.

There was major baggage associated with them getting involved. In addition to working together, they were family to each other and both of them were obviously close to Mia. If it ended up not working out, it would ruin a whole lot of relationships. Given how things looked right now with the group, it would be Letty that found herself on the out. And Dom would be damned if he caused her to lose any more people that she was close to and depended on, especially if it was because he was too much of fuck-up to give her what she needed. If that meant keeping his hands off her then so be it. Besides, he had plenty of bitches to distract him even when his thoughts so strongly turned to her. He'd always honor his promise to himself and to CJ.

So in those moments, he'd think about what was best for Letty and he'd smile and make some wisecrack that would send her into a fit, all the while thinking of cold showers and old ladies to calm his raging hormones. Meanwhile, she'd glance at him and pause as if sensing his desires, throwing him the slightest smile as if she understood the truth of his actions. It was their routine.

He could afford to leave Letty alone. Un-touched. Un-hurt. Safe.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What the fuck are you talking about, man? That is such bullshit and you know it!"

Dom turned his head to see Letty's eyes ablaze with indignation and disbelief. There was no mistaking that he had royally pissed her off -- and he couldn't have been more pleased with himself.

They were both hanging out in the garage, sipping on a beer and tinkering with his car. Well, he was sipping on a beer. Because of her dad, Letty wasn't much of a drinker. But it wasn't engines or paint jobs they were fighting about -- they were always of one mind when it came to cars. It was the same, timeless kind of debate that showed the great divide between the sexes.

"Letty, I don't make the rules, okay. I'm just telling you how it plays out in the real world."

Her disgusted scoff only further amused him. "The real world? So you're saying that when a dude waves his dick around all over the streets then he's a stud that people should look up to. But when a woman sleeps around, she's automatically a slut that you'd be embarrassed to be associated with, except, of course, for when you're screwing her yourself. Right, that's the real world." She rolled her eyes and returned to her work. "So is that why you broke up with Little Miss Wannabe Stripper last week?" making no effort to hide her disdain.

Letty hating on his girls was nothing new but he wasn't too happy about how personally she was taking their conversation. "What _exactly_ are you so pissed about? Are you itching to get out in the streets and fuck everything in sight?" The thought was equally disgusting and infuriating to him. Letty wasn't that kind of girl but the thought of her being with just one other guy made him crazy.

"That's not the issue. That's some sexist shit you've got going on in your head. A ho is a ho no matter what they're packing in their pants."

His thoughts quickly turned to what she was packing in _her_ pants as he watched her leaning over his engine. Her leather slacks, stretched obscenely tight down her legs, were begging him for a grope. How she could wear leather in the heat of the garage was a mystery to him but he wasn't going to complain. Her tight, midriff-baring tank top had ridden up as she bent over and he could see the sweat beading against the exposed skin along her back. She tossed her hair in a huff revealing her long neck and soft cheek, blushed red with annoyance. Of course, she wasn't intentionally trying to get him worked up with her choice of dress -- she saved that for the races. But he couldn't help becoming a little heated over her steamy body slaving in the shop everyday. And as she tinkered with his engine, he thought there was nothing hotter on the planet than watching a woman like Letty working on his car.

But he needed to get himself away from that line of thought. Dom really did understand where she was coming from in their argument and although he had his caveman tendencies, he thought he'd give her a break. "Look, I'm not saying that I personally believe in those things but it's just what I see happening out there. Isn't it better to understand what you're facing?"

"So you don't really believe it but you'll just go along with it?" She popped her head up from inspecting her handiwork on his engine and then less than gently lowered the hood back into place. Dom winced in pain for his baby but didn't say a word. He was already in the doghouse and more importantly, he understood that she would never do anything to hurt his prize.

"Dom, it's hard enough being a woman on this team and in the streets without that bullshit always being thrown in my face, especially from you who should know better. I mean damn, you've got a younger sister. How do you feel about dudes with that same dumb-ass attitude being around her in the neighborhood?" She leaned against his car staring at him pointedly, waiting for some kind of profound answer from him.

"You know how I feel about Mia being around those knuckleheads."

"Well, wouldn't you prefer it if guys weren't such assholes?"

"Sure. But it's never going to happen no matter what I say or do," he replied with a shrug. He moved to stand next to her, leaning against his car as well.

"You're hopeless," she said with a smirk. "Hopeless and spineless." He nudged her in jest earning himself a retaliatory ribbing in return.

"Why are you all worked up about this anyway? It's not like you didn't know that's how guys thought before we all decided to crack on Leon's new trick." Her glare towards him was lethal. "Uh, I mean, his new girl, uh, lady-friend." She still didn't look pleased. "Hell, Letty, what do you want me to say?" He was getting a little annoyed with her impatience. He didn't think anything was going to please her.

She gave him that pissed off, tough girl look but relented and backed off. He caught a glimpse of seriousness flash in her expression before she turned her head. They stood in comfortable silence for a few moments, Letty lost in her thoughts and Dom always waiting for her to share them with him.

"Dom, you know, I've loved growing up here and hanging with you guys, even though you piss me off on the regular. But sometimes it's just hard going out there and always having to prove myself and deal with the bullshit of guys who don't want to take me seriously because I'm a girl. And I also get tired of people who completely ignore that I have boobs and a vagina."

"Well, when you put it like that --," he said dryly. In fact, it was something that he himself had a completely difficult time overlooking.

"Shut up," she said with a chuckle. "Anyway," she shouted dramatically. "Why can't people just be people. It's fucked up that guys can go out and do what they want and us girls are seen as these whores or not taken seriously. How am I supposed to find a man in that scene or even just cool people that I can hang with?"

"Are you tired of us and looking for some new friends?" His smartass grin gave away his pathetic attempt at offense.

She rolled her eyes at him again. "I'm being serious, asshole. Do you want Mia bringing home one of those losers from the races?"

"Hey, the boys know that Mia's off limits. And if they forget, then I remind them in a way that hurts like hell. She needs to bring home one of those college boys. You know, a guy with glasses and a job; maybe a stack of books, listening to classical music and drinking wine."

Letty cracked up at his description and Dom drowned himself in the sound of her laughter. "Good luck with that, Dom." There was no way a sassy girl like Mia would bring home a dude like that after growing up around all the action in the neighborhood.

"The point is," Dom clarified, "Mia doesn't have to worry about that shit because she deserves better than all that and is going to rise above. You know, she's meant for better things than the street scene and a better life than hustling from month to month. She's going to make something of herself and make us all proud."

Letty nodded, agreeing that Mia was going to be the one to make it in a big way. And they all wanted to do for her to make that happen. But as Letty let his words sink in, Dom noticed a sadness creep into her eyes.

"And that's _my_ point. Where does that leave me, Dom?" she asked looking directly at him. "I'm not anybody's skank but I'm not exactly a classy lady you want to bring home to your mom."

She was right. When he thought of her, she was in a category all her own. There weren't many girls out there like Letty. He hadn't thought about how difficult that could be for her to love a scene that wasn't ready to appreciate her for who she was.

"Maybe sometimes I see myself being something more than the tomboy on the team. You know, maybe I want to find someone that likes what I like, that I can kick it with and not have to deal with his male ego bullshit."

"You ever think that maybe you're better than all this too?"

"Yeah right," she scoffed.

"I know CJ did," he added quietly. CJ had often talked about how he wanted so much for his little sister. But most of all he had wanted her to be safe and happy away from all the craziness of the streets they had grown up with. It's why Dom had given Letty such a hard time when she had decided not to go to college after graduation. In thinking about Mia, he was now considering that he should have pushed harder, maybe even suggest that she go that route now that he was back and looking after things in the garage. He spent so much energy enjoying the fact that she was in his life everyday that he had lost sight of what was best for her.

"Is that what you want?" he asked semi-seriously. "You looking for Mr. Right so you can have 10 kids and live in a big house with a pool and a couple of dogs?" She looked at him skeptically, horrified that he'd utter something so awful. "I'm sure you're just itching to take up knitting and play tennis on the weekends with your country club friends." Letty's smirk was sharp but she did look marginally amused by his ribbing. He was only half joking though. Letty did deserve some stability which is what CJ had hoped for her. Maybe she wouldn't be living like the Huxtables but he didn't want her constantly worrying about bills and bullshit from the streets. He didn't know when but at some point CJ's dreams for her had become his own. He was only confused about where he saw himself fitting into those dreams.

They were silent again for a moment before Letty glanced over at him and absently hit him on the arm. "What is this, Oprah?" she added nervously. "You don't have to get all big brother on me, Dom." There were never any clues on how she would react to a mention of CJ and bringing him up had clearly unnerved her. "It doesn't matter. It's not even a big deal." She straightened herself and was about to move away when Dom grabbed her arm.

"Hey, this is a big deal. You being happy matters to me." She turned to look up at him and saw the sincerity in his words and that something else that was always between them. Neither could turn their eyes away. Dom's hand still rested on her arm in a light caress, unwilling to break contact. There was no one around to distract them from each other this time.

Letty could only feel her attraction dampened by the knowledge that no matter how much they cared about each other, essentially, Dom would never see her as more than a way to honor CJ's biggest responsibility. God help her, she loved him and one day, probably sooner rather than later, she was going to have to let go of her childish dreams that they could be together. She was going to have to let go of him. The idea brought forth a kind of misery that she was having trouble hiding.

Dom could sense her distress, although he wasn't completely grasping the root of it. All the implications of what she had said spun around in his mind. Her pessimism and loneliness struck him like a ton of bricks. He had only ever wanted to see her happy and he realized that he was failing her.

He absently loosened his grip on her and ran his fingers down her arm to grasp her hand in his. At that moment he had a vision of what it would mean for Letty to find a new world away from the team. How would he deal with some other man taking responsibility for her happiness? Would he be able to watch her fall in love, get married, move away from him and everything they were to each other? He was overwhelmed with a tightness in his stomach about it. He thought of everything that they had both been through in the past few years and how they had been there for each other. He thought about the connection they had developed. He thought of their attraction and the respect they had for their friendship that kept them from acting on it.

With all of this running through his mind, it became so clear to him. He would keep his promise to CJ -- he would take care of Letty and he wouldn't break her heart. He would never, ever break her heart.

And then he did the only thing he could, the only conclusion to a long, difficult journey that led them to this pivotal point. He pulled gently on her arm to get her attention and when she turned her trusting eyes back to look into his face, he leaned down to capture her lips with his.

All of the images in his head, all of the fantasies and longings couldn't compare to the taste and feel of her mouth against his. His first taste of her was slow and sensual. His free hand moved to cup her face in his palm to hold her to him as he languidly moved his lips over hers. One taste turned into three and then turned into a string of kisses that deepened with each passing second. When she placed her hand against his chest and turned to face him more directly, her contact with his body ignited his desire for her in a way that he should have predicted but for which he was completely unprepared. He moaned in triumph at the way she immediately opened to him and they devoured each other hungrily. He took in her shock as well as her almost instantaneous acceptance and response to him. Nothing had ever felt more passionate or right for either of them and the emotions of finally giving in to each other were all consuming.

Their close calls before had been charged with sexual tension and longing, both aware of each other in the most intense of ways. They would touch and feel together before finally holding back because the timing had never been right. But tonight, there was no buildup, just an instant decision on Dom's part to finally do right by her and his own emotions. As egotistical as it sounded, he knew that only he could make her happy in the way that she needed and he wanted to start right then. The way she responded to him and the pureness of their embrace showed him that he had made the right decision.

Dom said he would never kiss her because he wouldn't be able to stop and there was nothing but truth in that. She deserved everything and he wanted to be the one to give it to her.

After a few moments of abandonment, they pulled away from each other, breathing heavily. They rested their foreheads together giving them time to take in what they had done. Dom placed soft kisses against her lips which she enthusiastically accepted.

"Damn, I've wanted to do that since you were 16," Dom whispered breathlessly. She nodded her head in agreement, still unable to put voice to her raging thoughts and emotions. He raised her face to meet his gaze and lovingly stroked the smooth skin of her cheek. "Baby, to me you are something so much more than you think. I know I'm not perfect but let me show you that I can make you happy." He needed her to understand where he was coming from and he searched her expression for any sign that she was ready to accept what they both knew they wanted.

Letty looked back at him with so much love in her eyes but there was also an equal amount of fear and vulnerability. She tried to gather her thoughts and get control of herself which was hard to do when he was touching her and looking at her like that. "You know how I feel about you, how I've always felt about you." In Dom's touch, she felt everything she had hoped for from him and it scared the hell out of her. "Dom, I'm not one of those girls that you can play around with. If we do this, we can't go back. _I_ can't." She pleaded with him to understand her fear. She wanted him so much, as much as he apparently wanted her. But she wouldn't be an accomplice to his overactive hormones or some trophy he could parade around at the races.

Dom did understand her fear and felt it a little himself. He risked fucking up a relationship that meant the world to him, and dishonoring the best friend he ever had in the process. He risked losing himself in her which was a frightening thought for someone who had never had a girlfriend for more than a few months. But to him, it was a bigger risk not to try and grab for the one thing in the world that he knew would satisfy them both.

He pulled her against him and held her. When he kissed the top of her head, he couldn't help but smile as he felt her arms go around him, holding him just as tightly. "Letty --," he murmured in her ear. He felt her tense in his embrace, preparing herself for the rejection she assumed would follow. He pulled back and begged her to look at him. "This isn't about trying to play you or get into your pants. You know me better than that." Rubbing her back, he hoped to sooth her tension and convince her that they had to take a chance on each other. "You say you want to find someone that understands you? Letty, that's me. You can feel it just like I can." He refused to tear himself from her eyes that shined intensely with emotion. "I think it's time that we stay strong together. I want this. I want _you_."

There weren't words to describe what he saw and felt from her in those moments. He simply recognized it as love and hoped she could see it returned by the way he held her. In that moment, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

Unable and unwilling to stop the impulse, he leaned down and gave her another passionate kiss that she returned in kind. Realizations discovered and accepted, they couldn't get enough of each other. She sighed into his mouth and leaned into him, feeling nothing but heat as he took hold of her and gently pushed her back on top of his car.

He would never forget the image of her lying there with her hair spilling across the hood, dark brown waves slithering against red. He felt the rapid beat of her pulse against his lips and the hurried rise and fall of her chest pressed to his. His kisses trailed along her neck to her breasts as he enjoyed the softness and salty sweat of her skin. As his arms moved to hold her hands above her head, his lips then instinctively sought out hers again while he explored the body he had been aching to touch for so long.

She pressed against him aggressively and he responded by playfully teasing her. He nibbled her lower lip and then softly traced it with his tongue causing her to moan with longing and pleasure. Just the sound of her was enough to energize him and when she wrapped her leg around his back to pull him closer, he feared they had reached that point of no return. Although not the most comfortable of positions, they remained intertwined with each other, tasting and feeling as much flesh as they could get reach. As far as Dom was concerned, there was nothing else he could do but take her right there on top of his ride.

But in the interests of comfort, Dom released Letty and in one swift movement, picked her up with her legs still straddling his middle. Happy to be grabbing her delicious ass, he carried her over to the couch and sat down before laying against her chest while she cradled him in her arms. He raised his head and took the time to see how desire had transformed her already beautiful features. She was flush with wantonness and he felt her hips grinding into him in a clear invitation. But it was her eyes that had him mesmerized. They were so bright yet so hungry simply because they were gazing at him. Surely ripping his clothes off and having her way with him was exactly what she was planning in that mischievous mind of hers.

"It looks like somebody's all grown up," he said.

"That's more than I can say for you most of the time." She giggled into his mouth as she brushed her lips against his.

"I can show you what a big boy I am," he whispered into her ear, pushing her hips against his on the couch.

She returned the caress against his ear, kissing and nibbling along his neck and cheek. "Promises, promises. You do like to talk a big game."

"Oh, I don't need to talk, baby, and you know this." He gave her body an extra squeeze and raised a challenging eyebrow like the smartass that he was.

Then unexpectedly, she lifted her hand and stroked his smooth head in the most provocative caress he could ever remember feeling. Her touch was loving yet possessive, passionate yet tender. She stared down at him almost in reverence of what they were feeling together. But her body's response to him was pure fire. No matter what happened from that point on, he belonged to her completely.

Letty's sensual touch also gave him time to come back to his senses a bit. He placed his hands on her hips to stop her movement and said a prayer or two that he would have the strength to stand up for them -- because he wanted this, the whole thing and he wasn't going to let it get messed up before they even got started.

"Baby?" he said breathlessly.

"Hmmmm." She didn't even need to use words and he was melting against her in lust. Her fingers had remained against the skin of his bald head and she was tracing circles at the nape of his neck.

How was he ever going to get through the next few moments? She was sitting there staring at him and licking those luscious lips of hers. Those lips that he had just thoroughly tasted seemed to be calling to him and begging him for another helping. He had to get rid of this most tempting distraction.

He pulled her body to his, which wasn't the best thing to cool his jets but was better than looking at her face so filled with a sexy innocence that made him tingle all over. He placed a string of kisses along her neck while stilling her body's movements with his hands against her hip and back.

"Dom, if you're trying to be the noble gentleman here, I think you're doing a pretty shitty job." The tickle of his breathy chuckle against her ear caused her to jerk in his hands and grind in his lap once more.

"Actually, nobility is the farthest thing from my mind right now." He took her ear lobe between his teeth and begin to suck as if to prove his point. Her whimper of approval had Dom grinning and Letty returned the smile she could feel pressed against her cheek. He pulled back slightly looking her square in the face and gave her the sexiest smirk, one tinged with playfulness and restraint but with an overwhelming need as well. "I think we both know how much you're turning me on right now." He peppered his words with soft nudges of his nose against hers, his lips always dangerously close to consuming hers again.

Letty gently brought her hands to his shoulders and pushed into his groin meaningfully. The hardness that greeted her left no debate to his claim. "I noticed something was up," she joked in response.

But despite her attempts to provoke him, he pulled back even more and his resigned stare was met with her pout. Her lusty eyes held disappointment at what she figured was the end of their little make-out session. They had been waiting so long for this. She was burning up for him and he was putting the breaks on before things had even gotten good.

"Hey," he whispered bringing her attention back to him. He slid his hand from her back and lifted her chin to face him. "It's not like that. When I take you -- and I am definitely going to take you --." He punctuated his point with a meaningful squeeze to her hip. "I want it to be perfect. I'm not gonna just bone you on the dirty couch in the garage." She kept her eyes fixed on his steady gaze, letting his words sink in.

He was then rewarded with a bright smile and wished he could bottle the look of satisfaction on her face at hearing his declaration.

"Well, boning on the dirty couch in the garage would be kind of appropriate for us don't you think?"

He laughed into her neck as he pulled her to him once more. "Maybe, but I'm still not going to do it no matter how much you're killing me right now."

"I'm killing you? That's funny because from here, it looks like you're playing the tease. And for the record, I don't need perfect Dom. You know I'm not the flowers and candlelight kind of girl. More like car parts and race tracks." She kissed him softly on his forehead and he returned her smile with an adorable grin of his own. "But when we get to the whole 'taking' part, I will need you to rock my world. I'm talking all night, sex machine, monkey-love fest where you satisfy my every sexual desire."

He gave her a cocky look as if offended that he would do anything less. "No doubt, baby. When I make love to you, you'll be screaming and begging for me all night." Looking flustered at the thought, Letty leaned in for a steamy kiss that sealed their promise of a mutually pleasurable joining. Dom pulled back and ran his fingers through her silky hair.

"Screaming and begging?" she responded.

"Screaming and begging and praying. I guarantee it," he replied. "But don't I need to at least take you out on a date before I start shooting for a home run?"

Letty howled in laughter at the suggestion. "Dominic Toretto on a date? What a concept. What are people gonna say? What about your reputation?"

"Fuck my reputation," he said hotly grabbing her to him.

"I thought that was the standard?" She giggled beautifully which turned him on to no end. But her smart remark earned her a smack on the ass before he let her go again.

"Ooooh, hot!" she replied. She gave him a brief peck before reluctantly climbing off of his lap and pulling him up after her.

He dropped a kiss to her neck. "You are such a bad girl."

Letty shrugged unapologetically and moved to grab her car keys. "It's been a long day and we need to get out of here. If you want a ride, this train is leaving. Let's go loverboy." He gladly followed her outside, locking up on the way.

As they approached her car, she stopped and abruptly turned to him as if she had just remembered something important. "And another thing," she added. "When we're out, don't expect me to sit shotgun in your car or some shit like those other bitches."

Dom gave her a knowing chuckle of understanding. "I've got more sense than to even suggest it."

"Yeah, you better." She grinned over at him, both amused at the irony of him riding shotgun in her car at the moment. It was going to be an interesting ride between the two.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They kept things quiet between them for a whopping 3 and a half weeks before Dom's hormones and a few beers gave them away at one of their post-race parties. He was more than a little pleased with himself for not rushing into sex with her and taking things slow like a real relationship. He honestly believed that 3 sex-less weeks of courting Letty hadn't gotten to him but as exciting as sneaking around was, it appeared that Letty bending over in a short, tight leather skirt was enough to break him down. The next thing he knew, he was grabbing for her and they were making out like teenagers. It was a bit of a shock to some but to those that cared to look, there was something practiced and casual about their caresses and sultry embrace. Besides, if Dom's recent celibacy wasn't a red flag, Letty's constant good mood was enough to raise suspicion.

Also, upon seeing the two tough racers eating each other alive in the middle of a party, the racer skanks spat out collective expletives knowing that Dom was going to be off the market for a long time.

And that's how they became Dom and Letty. Two parts of a whole that came into their own together.

_TBC_


	7. Transformations part 3

**_Author's Note: It looks like this is the final stretch. I am amazed both that it look me this long to finish and that I really am actually finishing (and before the movie too, but only just!). It's not perfect but it's as perfect as it's going to get without me sitting on it for another 6 months. There's only one chapter left after this and it's almost ready to go (as in written and being beta'ed as I type)._**

**_Thank you to everyone that has reviewed and to everyone that's been reading and keeping up with the story. I mostly write for myself but that I can give you guys something that you enjoy is the biggest honor and pleasure. Post a review if you're inclined and keep an eye out for the last chapter_****.**

**Transformations Part 3**

After the initial shock of seeing Dom and Letty together calmed down, things settled back to normal for the team. It had only been a couple of months and the fact that they could still keep their routine was a good sign of things. Not that Letty and Dom kept their hands to themselves when the others were around -- far from it actually. But they weren't obnoxious about it, or at least they tried not to be. They were far too busy with other things fortunately since there was a lot of work to be done at the garage and the store wasn't going to look out for itself.

In fact, Dom was more than a little frustrated that while he and Letty did a lot of necking and making out, he had yet to fulfill his promise to rock her world as she had put it. For one thing, they were hardly ever alone. If it wasn't the boys then it was Mia or some party or some customer. And he didn't want to half-ass things or rush it either. No quickies in the back office just because they had an itch to scratch; usually it was a very sexy, horny itch, but not an appropriate one by any means. Also, they just couldn't get their timing right -- when he had some free time, she was either too tired or out taking care of her own business or he would be out on business for the garage when she was feeling in the mood. On a particularly difficult moment of wanting her, Dom joked that maybe they would have to settle for the dirty couch in the corner but was surprised when she was the one that scoffed at the idea. Now that he had promised her an entire evening devoted to her pleasure, she wasn't going to settle for less.

But their inability to get more intimate certainly wasn't a function of not having the desire. Dom found that he thought about Letty all the time. It didn't help that they worked together so closely for most of the day, she all sweaty, disheveled and clad in tight leather. On the one hand, it was exciting and hot and satisfying to finally give into the attraction he had felt for years for his friend. On the other hand, he felt a little stupid for being such a lovesick fool, pining over one girl like he wasn't the King of the Streets. Plenty of chicks -- brave ones at that given that it was Letty they were dealing with -- tried to sway him away from what was turning into commitment status. But he was shocked to find that he wasn't feeling them at all. They would sidle up to him at the races or at parties, showing off their bodies and all he would do was think that they couldn't compare to his hot Latina firecracker. And that would lead him to finding Letty wherever she was and attacking her like a man on a mission.

Letty didn't try too hard not to be smug about it.

And it seemed that Letty for her part, found that now she had landed the man with whom she had been fighting and working and loving since she was a little girl, she took great pleasure in teasing him. She had a bad habit of leaving him wanting in the ways he himself had done to her over the years. She'd harmlessly flirt with the guys and started dressing in ways that showed off his favorite places on her body. She was always sure to give him a reward for putting up with it and that little game seemed to turn him on more for the effort. Dom both loved and hated her for it.

But she also revealed to him a softer side that she'd only given him glimpses of in the past. She'd stop by with a cool drink when he was working in the hot back office at the store or finish up paperwork that she knew he was intentionally putting off until the last minute. If he was really lucky she'd massage his back at the end of the day before heading out. It tended to be more of a distraction from the mountain of work he had to do before heading home himself but damn was it worth it every single time.

It was a new type of relationship for both of them. It wasn't just about sex or attraction or appearances. They had a history together and a respect that was more important than what other people thought of them. The emotions involved were deep and complex. They didn't want to label things; didn't want to jinx what they had. Still, neither could help but ponder whether this was what being in love felt like.

Whatever it was, they wanted all of it and felt like they could and would fight anything to keep it.

***

Dom was leaning over the engine of a client's car hoping to finish one last job before turning in for the day. Letty and the boys were already gone, getting ready for the cross-town races that were taking place in a few hours. None of them would be racing that night -- they'd leave that to the locals on that scene. But they had a lot of friends in that neighborhood and they liked to drop in and check out what was going on in those parts.

Of course it couldn't compare to their home scene and it didn't hurt to sit back and remind them of that ... in a friendly way of course.

Mia was in the office finishing up with the books before heading home to get ready for her study group. He had made fun of her saying that she was turning into such a nerd but he was proud of her and she knew that. She figured that if she was going to skip a night on the town in favor of studying, tonight was the night since nothing much would be happening and the party would be over someone else's house.

Dom heard the back door open and close and wondered if Mia was finally ready to head out. Maybe he could convince her to keep him company while he finished so he wouldn't feel so depressed about being the last one out again. If they had time, they might even be able to pick up some dinner on the way home. She wouldn't leave without telling him so he just turned back to his work.

He should have paid more attention though because he jumped and almost hit his head when he felt two hands slide underneath his shirt and over the muscles of his back. He immediately knew who it was of course; that breathless chuckle, the subtle sound of leather sliding against the cotton of his pants and the unmistakable feel of those little fingers with the surprisingly strong grip. Her presence and touch excited him as usual but she was going to have to pay for putting him on edge like that.

"Lacey, didn't I tell you I'd meet you later?" He kept his gaze forward and tried to hide the knowing smirk from giving him away.

He felt Letty's welcome caress stop abruptly before completely withdrawing. She pulled his shirt, and him along with it, from under the hood. Getting a display of her strength as she spun him completely around in anger frightened him, but only a little. It more had the effect of turning him on ... a lot.

"Excuse me? Lacey? What the fuck, Dom?" Her face was full of possessive fire, all flushed and animated. Her hands now rested tensely on her hips, pulling her low-slung pants even further down he couldn't help but notice. Her shoulders had tensed up sending the straps on her tank top askew. God was she hot. But he thankfully saw her expression change to one of exasperated humor as she registered the smug grin on his face at getting her riled up. "You really suck, you know that?" She crossed her arms over her very enticing chest and rolled her eyes at him.

"That's what you get for sneaking up on a playa. Now that you've got me all hot and bothered, come on over here with that sexy temper of yours." Too impatient to wait for her to comply, he grabbed her around the middle, pulling her flush against him. He gently rubbed her back until she reluctantly moved her arms around him. He had gotten her good, she had to admit. She decided though that feeling him against her like this was a lot better than giving him a hard time about it. She knew when to pick her battles and when she met his grin with a sexy smile of her own, his instant reaction to her was all the payback she needed.

Dom leaned down and gave her a sound but chaste kiss not wanting to get too carried away before finding out what was going on. "What are you doing here, babe? I thought you were going to meet up at the house later?"

Letty ran her finger up and down the nape of her man's neck, loving the feel of his skin against hers and the hiss of pleasure it caused him. "I was on my way back home when I saw you and Mia were still here so I thought I'd drop in and see if I could drag you away for a couple of hours. I know you don't have too much that needs to get done this afternoon so maybe you could spare a girl a couple of hours to get into a little trouble." She pressed into his body slightly just to make sure he understood exactly what she was suggesting.

"I like the way you think," he drawled before he brought his lips to hers again. This time he let her feel exactly what she did to him. She removed her hands from around his shoulders and ran her fingers over his broad chest, clutching the muscles there briefly before returning to cradle his face in her grasp. He groaned at her touch and instinctively reached to stroke her ass and give her a squeeze.

"Ugh! You two have no shame!" Mia said as she emerged from the office in the back, purse and jacket in hand. Her words were harsh but the grin on her face showed that she absolutely enjoyed teasing her brother and best friend about their newfound relationship.

Letty and Dom shot her a dirty look before slowly letting go of each other and turning their attention to her. She was the queen of bad timing over the past few weeks, a title that she seemed to be getting a little too much pleasure out of.

"You Torettos think you're so funny today don't you?" Letty said with a smirk. Both Dom and Mia shrugged in that cocky way that Letty was convinced came from their shared gene pool. "Both of you are going to get what's coming to you," she threatened.

"I certainly hope so," Dom leered, pulling her back to his side with a sweep of his bulky arm. This earned him a roll of the eyes from both girls, although Letty's pinch to his side suggested that she didn't mind at all.

"Anyway, I'm headed out. Don't go having sex on anything I have to touch, okay? I knew there was at least one good reason that you two shouldn't be hooking up." Her grin at them as she walked out was pure Mia. She was teasing them since she was surprisingly their biggest supporter and was quite aware, being the interrupter that she was, that they had yet to do the deed. They had talked to her separately about their relationship early on and she had been almost as overjoyed as they were. She loved them both and had thought for years that they would make each other happy. She knew it wasn't always going to be an easy road and she hated that for them. But being as close as she was with Letty and Dom and growing up with them, it was obvious to her that there was no one else better out there for them than each other. She truly believed that.

As they listened to Mia drive away, Dom turned back to the car he was working on and closed the hood. The rest of it could wait until tomorrow. He had a much better offer on the table for how he could spend the next few hours.

Letty leaned against the hood of the car and looked over at Dom expectantly. "So what do you say? Why don't we head back to your place and have a little private party before we go out?"

"Sounds like the best kind of party. But I've got good news and bad news," he said pulling her into his arms with her back to his front. He reached his head around and kissed her lightly on the neck before continuing. "We can't go back to the house because Mia's having some kind of study group thing over there. And as much as I would love some alone time with you, I don't really want her geek posse as an audience."

Letty giggled and reached up to squeeze his arms that held her firmly in his grasp. "Okay, that's a good point. So what's the good news because Mia's right about one thing. I have no desire to kick it with you here."

"You better get over that because it's gonna happen at some point, Letty. Trust. Maybe not today but one of these days, we're not going to be able to help it." That was certainly true. "But the good news is that there is nothing stopping us from moving the party to your place." He began nuzzling her neck again, stringing kisses along the way. "A nice big empty house where we can be as loud as we want and no one is going to disturb us." Despite his soothing caresses along her arms and neck, he felt her tense up at the suggestion but it was gone almost as quickly as he detected it.

"Sure," she agreed a bit breathless. "Let's go."

Dom locked up and they drove to his place and parked their cars. The walk to Letty's place was short. He had considered flinging her over his shoulder and running there as fast as he could but he didn't think she'd appreciate the gesture. But he wanted her so badly and the prospect of having her finally was overwhelming him.

Letty was unusually quiet and intense. When she opened the door to her dark house, she let out a sigh but Dom was on her in two seconds, kissing her and pushing her towards the stairs that led to her bedroom. Letty glanced behind her as Dom continued to touch her and trace her body with his lips and tongue and hands. She could feel that every inch of him wanted her and while she was aroused and excited by the idea of finally having him inside her, she couldn't shake the sense of trepidation that consumed her when she was in this house.

"Dom," she said, retreating from his embrace and the fevered kisses with which he was showering her. His passion-filled eyes drank her in and pulled her again to him, this time reaching underneath her shirt to stroke her skin and unclasp her bra. "Dom, stop," she tried again, pushing him away forcefully. "I can't do this. Not here."

Dom stumbled back, cool from the loss of Letty's body against his but not too far gone to see the distress written all over her face. He turned around trying to calm himself down although there wasn't much to see in the dimness of the room. All of the curtains were drawn and they hadn't bothered to turn on any of the lights. The only illumination came from the receding sunlight streaking in from the kitchen doorway at the far side of the room.

But now that he was focusing on something other than getting into Letty's pants, he couldn't help but notice the shroud of emptiness hanging over the house. He also noticed the blanket and pillow strewn haphazardly over the couch. Comprehension dawned on him as he realized that even months later, Letty still wasn't sleeping upstairs in her own bed. She was still standing at the base of the stairs feeling exposed and embarrassed as she refused to look him in the eye. He registered her discomfort and it hurt him to to the core. How could he have not known it was this bad?

He grabbed her hands in his and pulled her closer to him, although not into his arms. Letty finally looked up to meet his gaze. She saw so many questions written in his expression and felt a fresh wave of shame over it. "I'm sorry, Dom. I just can't. Not here." As it was, of all the time they spent with each other, very little of it was spent here. Except for sleeping, she spent the rest of her time at his house or the garage, pretty much avoiding any alone time in her childhood home. He didn't blame her really but it wasn't healthy.

Dom sighed and ran his thumbs gently across her hands. "It's okay. I know how you feel about this place. I'm sorry I suggested it." He led her over to the couch and carefully sat her down, pushing the pillow and blanket out of the way. "But you need to deal with this at some point, Letty," he said gently. "Have you thought any more about selling the house? It's a good market right now and I know some people." It was risky bringing that particular subject up. She was never in the mood to talk about it much. Even now, she was shaking her head trying to repel the line of conversation from the room.

"I'm not ready to get into all of that, you know I'm not." She was filled with an irrational fear just thinking about it. She wasn't scared of hardly anything; she was a tough girl. But moving away was both a confusing mix of being completely unthinkable and a hopeful relief.

He let go of her hands and put his arm around her, pulling her close. "I know, baby, but it's been a while now. You are going to have to deal with this. I know it's hard but I can help. Or Mia if you'd rather talk about it with her." He realized he wasn't the only person that Letty confided in and really, Mia was a lot better at supporting Letty with the emotional stuff than he was.

She curled up farther into Dom but didn't say anything. They sat there like that for a while, not talking but just holding each other. If she wasn't going to talk about it, he could at least be here for her in the meantime Dom thought.

"I hate this place," Letty said softly. Dom ran his hand over her arm but remained silent. "But I love it too," she continued. He knew what she meant. He felt that way about his own home; and the garage too. It was hard to live with the memories sometime but at the end of the day, there were so many happy ones that the painful ones were kept at bay. That couldn't possibly be true for Letty with all she had endured amongst these walls.

After a few moments he felt a cold tear slide over his skin and he reached down to wipe away the streak running down her cheek. It was a rare thing for Letty to cry anymore. In fact, he hadn't seen her even come close after that night at the cemetary. How had they gone from so hot to so cold in such a short amount of time?

"This is all I have left of him," she whispered against his neck. "Both of them," she amended. For the hundredth time, Dom's heart sank thinking about the large piece of Letty that died alongside CJ and her father.

Dom chose his words carefully because obviously he didn't want to upset her more than she already was. He didn't want to say it because it felt like a betrayal of sorts. It felt hurtful and callous and he loved her too much to cause her anymore pain. But she needed to hear it.

"Maybe it's time you let the both of them go, Lett'."

Letty squeezed her eyes shut at his words. How could she give them up? Her dad had been a useless son of a bitch for most of her life but even at her angriest, she could remember the man he used to be before he became so broken. And CJ? She wasn't a whole person without him. She needed every meager scrap of him that she kept with her -- the room she hadn't touched; the dreams he had for her; and the memories. She had people around her that supported her and who she loved in return but it wasn't the same. It would never be the same.

More than anything, she was overwhelmed with sorrow because she knew Dom was right.

And through it all, he held her.

"You know I've wanted you for a long time, since you were sixteen." Letty was confused by the change in conversation but was too upset to inquire. "There were so many times when I wanted to grab you and devour you," he admitted with a chuckle. "Especially when you were upset or mad. I guess I wanted to take care of you and make everything better after CJ passed." He held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "But I had promised CJ before he left that I wouldn't break your heart and I took that very seriously." Letty looked up at him in surprise, eyes red-rimmed and serious. "Yeah, he had an idea about what could happen between us and he was right." He kissed her upturned lips but guided her head back against his chest. "He also said that you were going to grow up to be a beautiful woman and he was right about that too," he added with a smile. "I know he wanted to see that for himself. Anyone who knew him wished that for the both of you because he adored you."

"I adored him too," Letty said softly. "For a while, he was the only good thing in my life. Until I met you guys."

Dom squeezed her to him and continued. "The point is that I promised CJ that I would look out for you. Me and my dad both promised him. And I'm going to do whatever I can to live up to that."

Letty sighed but didn't move from Dom's arms. "But I'm not a little girl anymore Dom. You don't have to protect me because of some promise to CJ. I can protect myself and make my own decisions."

"But that's the thing. Right now, yesterday, next week -- it's not about that. It has nothing to do with CJ or your dad or my dad either. I want to take care of you because I love you and I want you with me. I want you to let go because I want all of you and I can't stand to see this place and these memories hold you back. Baby, you will always have CJ's love and he'll always have yours. And you don't need this house or his things to feel that. But I want some of your love too and so do Mia and the guys." Dom was so frustrated because there was so much he wanted her to know about his feelings for her. "I know it's hard because I've got dad's car out back and the idea of ever letting go of that part of him kills me. But it doesn't keep me from living my life. I just think the sooner you get rid of this place, the sooner we can have you. And I want you Letty, so much. I know it's selfish but --." He didn't know what else to say so he just looked down at the strong but fragile woman in his arms.

Letty gazed up at him with a wicked smile which was pretty amusing given the seriousness of their conversation. He met her smile with one of his own. "Not just like THAT. You know what I mean," he said laughing at his double entendre. She slowly brought her hand to his face to bring him down for a long, sweet kiss.

But he wasn't done with her yet. "So why don't you get rid of this place and then you can move in with me. I mean, me and Mia." Letty shook her head in protest but he stopped her quickly. "I know that sounds really soon for us and weird but I think it could be good, you know." Letty laughed heartily at the suggestion but remained skeptical. "I'm serious! Look, you practically live there anyway. You can even have your own room if you want, although I can think of a much better arrangement. I can cook you dinner one night a week, or at least I can tell Mia what to cook since you know I don't do that kind of thing --."

"Dom," she said, interrupting him. "How about I think about it." Dom shrugged encouragingly since it was a no brainer to him but he kept quiet. He didn't want to push her too hard. "You're one corny bastard, you know that?" She hugged him to her and they both sighed in contentment.

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"But you're sweet," she added. She looked up at him in all seriousness. "And I love you too."

"I know."

They stared into the each other's eyes until the tension was too much and they were finally forced to reach out. There was hope in their embrace and the feeling that they cared about each other and wanted to be together to make their relationship work. They kissed each other with abandon, tongues and lips and teeth mingling with the other's. He breathed her in and she explored his body with her hands and mouth. They came together in the ways that had been simmering since that first mutual spark had ignited between them.

Dom pulled away, breathless and wanting, still caressing her and holding her to him. "Another painful non-hookup," he muttered, body tense and aroused. He glanced at his watch and sighed when he saw the time. It was getting late and they had to stop now if they wanted to meet up with the guys on time.

But Letty was having none of it as she pulled him back to her and did her best to get him out of his shirt. "How about we go to Plan B," she whispered against his ear and moved her hands to work on his pants.

Dom didn't need any further encouragement as he pulled out his phone and quickly texted the guys that they weren't going to make it out tonight. "Plan B it is." He then grabbed Letty and headed for the stairs so that he could properly rock her world in the comfort of her bed.

They continued to kiss and caress each other on their way, looking forward to the moment they would be one with each other. They anticipated their limbs entwined, breaths shared, and the push and the pull of their bodies as they found their passionate release. Neither had ever felt such an urgency to be with another person but both wanted to savor every second, every touch, every nip and clench. When they finally made love in a few moments, it really would be an ultimate expression of what they meant to each other.

They barely noticed when they passed the closed doors of Letty's father and brother. These men from their past were both gone but Letty and Dom were still here and it was time to move on. And with only thoughts of each other consuming them, that's exactly what they did.

Together Dom and Letty closed her door and took the first steps towards the rest of their lives.


	8. Transformations part 4

**_Author's note: And the end is here -- with the first scene I ever wrote for this story. Toldja I was almost done although I don't blame you for any doubts. _**

**_Thanks for joining me on this ride and let me know what you think or any ideas for another story (after I update on my other fandoms, of course). Now that I'm done with this, I hope my muse will find more for me to do. _**

**Transformations Part 4**

Four years later...

She didn't even hear him as he crept up behind her and placed a possessive and appreciative hand on her hip, rubbing circles through her thin cotton pants. He really missed seeing her in sexy leather on a regular basis but it was just too damn hot anywhere in Central America for that. Still, he found plenty of ways to test out the delicious curves of her body without those pants he had come to love and expect over the years.

Instead of getting irritated as Dom feared, Letty smiled in delight and turned her head to meet his smoldering eyes that were completely fixed on her. They held each other's gaze for long seconds before Dom leaned in to taste the lips he had been yearning for all day. Damn, it really sucked living with a house full of people sometimes.

She felt so good against his body, like the perfect fit. He used to joke that holding her was like putting in that last piece of a puzzle you've been working on for weeks. There weren't words really to describe the satisfaction of it.

Especially when said body was 7 months pregnant with his child.

Letty was never one to be self-conscious about her body so there had never been the whole I'm-pregnant-and-fat-and-ugly bullshit that he had dreaded. If anything, she was quite aware of what seeing her carrying his child did to him and she teased him accordingly. She was pretty huge he had to admit but her body had filled out in all the right ways as far as he was concerned. And there was also a happy glow to her that he found irresistible.

Their contentment was surprising given all they had been through in the past year. The botched heist aside, they had lived stressful lives before that, trying to keep up with the scene and with each other. While things were never seriously shaky with Letty, it wasn't exactly smooth sailing either. Looking down at the woman in his arms, he thought again of how close he had come to losing it all. But Letty had been right by his side through the thick of it.

No, she definitely wasn't a little girl anymore. She had moved past all the hurt and trauma of her childhood and found something worth moving on for. She and Dom became the partners-in-crime -- sometimes literally -- that they had always hoped for. Each day brought something to be thankful for in that respect.

Even though Letty would kill him if he ever voiced it out loud, he would never stop taking care of her. It was what CJ would have wanted and more importantly, what he wanted for himself. And in return, Letty let herself find a new family and new love to fill the void left when she lost her beloved brother and the rest of her family. Truth be told, these days, they took care of each other.

Besides, they both had a new little girl to look after when she decided to make her way into the world. And their family could hardly wait to meet Christina Jesse: their own little CJ.

But back to more timely matters, Dom had to restrain himself from letting go and initiating a full-on make out session with his lady. The only thing that kept him in check was his lack of enthusiasm at hearing the team's bitching if dinner was delayed over his distractions.

"What are you doing sneaking up on me," she said with a chuckle. Dom leaned down to kiss her on the side of her neck and continued to caress her hips and stomach, now with both hands.

"Sorry, baby. I couldn't help myself." Letty snorted a little laugh but didn't move out of his embrace.

"Where have I heard that before," was her sarcastic reply, patting her protruding stomach as evidence.

"It's your fault really," Dom said with mock seriousness. "I mean, you know how much of a turn-on it is to see you getting all domestic." Letty was cutting up some vegetables for whatever it was she was preparing for their dinner. She had had a rocky pregnancy full of more anxiety and scares than either felt they could handle. So since she couldn't help out much on the work end of things, she had taken over some of Mia's role as the resident den mother. Everybody got a kick out of teasing her for it since she couldn't fight back; not for at least another couple of months anyway. But along with her rapidly rounding belly, it was another surprising fetish that Dom had developed in recent times.

"Is that right?" she said in that gorgeous husky voice of hers, her bad-ass smirk in place. "I guess I'll have to be careful then." She gently pulled out of his embrace and continued preparing the food as if she weren't standing mere inches from his very comfortable and wanting embrace. It was clear from her body language that Dom had been dismissed. He smiled slyly getting the hint and backing out of the kitchen to the boisterous team mates in the other room. She'd pay for that later.

For what seemed like the millionth time in the last 10 months, he thought back to his old life. God, he thought things then were so complicated but it was nothing compared to what they were going through now. You never appreciate the beauty of living until something drastic happens. But not all the memories were so conflicted. Some of them he holds onto every day, reflecting on what it really meant to have the good life.

Thirty minutes of hunger-induced agony came and went until Mia finally gave the word that dinner was ready, ordering everyone to sit down and shut up so they could eat. While she was lecturing everyone, Letty came out carrying huge plates of something that made his mouth water. After several trips to and from the kitchen, waving away Mia's mother hen tendencies to give her a hand, Letty finally took her seat next to Dom. As usual, he had no idea what the hell it was she was serving up but he was sure it was going to make him lick his plate at the end of the meal. Then later on he'd move on to her for dessert.

Yes, he had gambled big and he had lost big but it couldn't break down who he was. He had what remained of his family around him -- the kind that came from blood and the kind that developed from friendship and loyalty and love. They would never forget where they came from. A lot of people they loved had been lost but they moved on -- with each other.

Dom was so lost in his reflections that it took him a minute to notice that no one was making a move to eat. He looked around at their faces -- his ever-strong Mia; his trusted friends Vince and Leon; and his partner in everything, his beautiful Letty. He chuckled to himself at their traditions. Some habits really do die hard.

Dom figured for the pleasure of having everyone at the same table for the first time in a long time, he'd suck it up and say grace. After all, he had a lot to be thankful for.


End file.
